Of Polygamous Rabbits and Monogamous Foxes: Honesty
by Wildebunny the Eternal
Summary: Zootopia is a place built upon turning a blind eye. Every species has their own secrets, some are better kept than others. Not all traditions can remain once it becomes public. A harem is the least of Nick's problems when Judy Hopps risks it all for a chance at true happiness by courting him. Bunnyburrow exists because no one dares to reveal its secrets.
1. A Sacred Book

**A/N: This is not a rewrite or sequel to the other story. This story will explore what would've happened if Judy planned to be honest. Constructive criticism welcome.**

 **Chapter 1: A Sacred Book**

* * *

"You're giving me this gigantic book?" Nick blinked.

"I want to be more than just friends with you," Judy replied.

He pawed at the book in front of him. "The Traditions of Bunnyburrow: Complete Edition, can't I find it on the internet?"

"No, it's only on the lagomorph only network."

Even though Zootopia was unified, every species still had its own secrets. Some congregated in settlements to maintain their authority. Bunnyburrow ran by the whims of bunnies.

"Do you know how much trouble you could be in? If anyone found out?" His fur bristled.

"Absolutely, are you going to turn me in?" She blinked seductively. "I want to be more than friends with you."

"Why can't you tell me this orally?"

"I don't want you to hate me, and I might forget something. I'll give you a test before we go to Bunnyburrow."

"You're going to test me? Did I hear that correctly?" He sounded slightly more aggravated than he intended. "What if I don't want to go there after I finish the book?"

"I'll give my littermates a chance to choose who we marry. Thus, I'll likely be returning to Bunnyburrow and you won't see me again."

"Judy, can you please leave? I need some time alone." He only used her real name on serious occasions.

"Fine." Her ears pointed downwards. She slowly left his house.

Numerous conflicting emotions swirled within his head as he stared at the book in front of him. She wanted more from the relationship than he did. The laws regarding relationships between two different animal families were not only unwritten but unheard of. Crimes involving the same animal family had a right to a jury by their peers.

Felines certainly took advantage of this rule far more were set free without any penalties as far as he could tell despite the evidence. Only felines knew what happened behind closed doors while the perpetrator walked while the victim put on a fake smile. Society not only didn't condemn, but they also approved. It wasn't all that uncommon for the assailant and the victim to live together several years later.

He loved Judy even though he never heard of a union between a rabbit and a fox. Lagomorphs and vulpines had their own rules and customs which allowed them to get away with crimes. The law allowed certain foxes get away with stealing. Not only was the victim not compensated, but they also hailed the perpetrator as a hero as it should be.

They didn't follow Zootopian laws, but he certainly agreed with the rulings the vulpine court made. Every single victim who dared to complain certainly deserved what they got. He recalled a few incidents involving rabbits where they faced immediate extradition to Bunnyburrow with penalty unspecified. The perpetrators looked as if they won the jackpot. Being a fox, he wasn't privy to the proceedings, just witnessing the result. Judy never said much about those as it was a secret just as he kept his own. It certainly couldn't be a punishment if the assailant was happy.

The book in front of him should contain bunny secrets that he merely observed before. He was careful to note that she believed whatever knowledge contained within was enough to make him hate her. Not only did he have to keep this hidden, if anyone knew, it likely counted as a crime. It certainly placed her in jeopardy while his fate was unknown.

He slowly opened the book in front of him which reminded him of ZPA course materials. The boring errata of every action even ones he didn't think of. There were a thousand pages Judy wanted him to read, enough to risk whatever penalty they might issue if someone found out.

It was uncertain if he would have a say or even knowledge of the penalty if the specialized courts convicted her of mishandling classified information. He had to laugh when certain penalties consisted of community service by acting. There were humorous tidbits like no concerts allowed after ten at night with a five-hundred-dollar fine as a penalty. Although, he supposed that it wasn't all classified knowledge.

After a few pages and several sections on others, he closed the book. It wasn't some world-shattering revelation that he expected it to contain. He knew he told her to leave, but he was bored since she promised him a special surprise today. The book certainly wasn't what he had in mind. Not to mention being illegal.

He called her as he didn't want to read the book anymore.

"Nick, please give me a chance!" she said.

This certainly wasn't what he expected to hear when she picked up the phone. There was panic in her voice along with pleading.

"Are you okay?" Nick asked. "Where are you right now?"

"Home."

"I'll come over if you want."

"Yes please."

The drive to her place wasn't too far from his. Common mammals held a slightly better perception of foxes since he became part of the ZPD. She still lived in that small apartment with noisy neighbors. An overly excited bunny waited for him outside the building. She gave him a hug upon seeing him. "You don't hate me … yet."

"Shouldn't you tell me why I should?" Nick asked. "The book is boring so far. I've read a few pages. It certainly didn't contain what I expected."

"If you want to do something evil, put it inside something boring."

"I don't suppose you can give me the cliff notes? You're even willing to test me on what I know, unless if that was a joke. You've also been watching that deer way too much."

"I'm not that brave." She laughed. "But let's spend the time we have before you decide to hate me."

"You've already been through the press conference."

"This is far worse. There are two months till my birthday, and five till our vacation."

"What have you done with Judy Hopps? She doesn't take vacations." He imagined going to Bunnyburrow would be a brief weekend trip before they hastily rushed back to Zootopia.

"Courtship lasts at minimum a week, and then there are all my siblings. So, two months should be enough to meet the family and bond with everyone. I don't take vacations, but I will for you."

He laughed. "And you're still convinced that I'll hate you."

"It's all in the book." She was certainly serious, but right now, he couldn't imagine that a simple book would change his mind.

"Let's head inside."

Her apartment hadn't changed much since the last time he visited. It still contained the gigantic pile of stuffed rabbits. They watched bad television as friends, it was normal as if the incident earlier today was all but forgotten. There was a reminder just before they parted ways. "Promise that you won't hate me?"

He couldn't reply with a yes or a no considering how she acted, and the laws she broke. "Honesty is the best policy, they say that, don't they?"

"Was all this a mistake? You haven't told me yours."

"I didn't think it was appropriate."

"Will you?"

"No." He didn't want to risk a trial by his own kind. The information he knew wasn't earth-shattering anyway. "See you at work tomorrow."

There were five months to finish a boring book, certainly, that was plenty of time.

* * *

It took a week before he stumbled on to the relevant parts of the book. He read the passage several times, but there was no mistaking it. The law stated that bucks had to date all female littermates of the doe at the same time.

He played several dating sims out of curiosity during his college years which ranged from horror to pure wish-fulfillment. A curious thought entered his mind if the harems he witnessed would line up with reality. It made him excited despite everything he knew. Foxes were only supposed to have one mate. Bunnyburrow sure was obsessed with acting nearly all penalties involved acting in some way either as the only option or as an alternative. Even for trivial infractions like showing up to school late. A part of him wondered if movie stars were above the law.

They met each other at Bugga-burger in the morning. He had a question on his mind ever since reading the book.

"So, have you ever performed in any productions?" Nick asked.

"Of course not!" Her denial came way too fast, fast enough for him to tell that it was a lie.

"Whatever happened to honesty?"

"You have no proof."

"So, I just have to find it?"

"You don't care, do you? You just want a good story. I'm going to go and reconsider my life choices, namely the ones made recently." She walked away from the table without even finishing her meal.

"Carrots, how's that different from how I usually act?'

"Dumb fox." She walked out of the building. "I'm going to be expecting an apology when you come to your senses."


	2. Three Lives for One

**A/N: This chapter is horrifying. Innocent on earth, while illegal in Zootopia.**

 **Chapter 2: Three Lives for One**

* * *

Nick wasn't one to apologize when someone else was unreasonable. It wasn't his fault that she reacted so badly to his teasing. He finished his meal and the portions she left behind. Although, that threw a wrench in his plans for the day.

Initially, he planned to spend the day with Judy, but seeing as that's how she acted, she needed time alone. He returned to his place where he waited for Judy to apologize, even if she didn't, they had on work Monday.

He was certain that Judy was hiding something even more after she stormed off, but despite his persistence, the internet refused to yield adequate results. The closest thing he found was a few hateful comics mammals made about the press conference incident. Gory, profane sure, but not even close to what he was looking for. Her reaction was far too extreme for there to be nothing.

Eventually, he found the Carrot Days school play where a young Judy played the part of meek prey. She was certainly cute at the age of nine. It had a cheesy script that made him laugh. He couldn't resist calling Judy after watching her performance.

"Have you decided to apologize?"

"Just your local vicious predator saying hi." Nick snickered. "You were adorable."

"Oh right, I did play a part in that."

"You seem disappointed. So, you thought I would find something else."

"I didn't say that!" she yelled.

"Uh-huh, and you're expecting an apology. I just don't see that happening."

"Dumb fox, why can't you read between the lines? Why must you make everything so hard?" she shouted on the verge of crying. She sighed. "I'm coming over because you're dense."

Without giving him a chance to reply, she hung up. Nick felt uneasy given how the conversation ended. He flipped through the book haphazardly looking for something that Judy wanted him to know. As far as he could tell the rabbits were far more obsessed with acting as alternative punishments even for crimes like murder. Although, he couldn't find a formal definition of acting. He figured it was the rabbits' way of mimicking a kangaroo court.

Kangaroos didn't even try to hide the injustices within their court, but Zootopia was powerless as it was a species only matter. The fastest trial was three seconds even though Nick wasn't privy to the proceedings, justice certainly didn't happen inside.

He searched the net some more, but before he could find anything useful, Judy knocked on his door.

"I'm only here because you're dense. I've half a mind to muzzle you right now, but I decided not to."

"Muzzle me? You know what that means to me, right?"

"Precisely, at least, then it'll be fair. Why do I care anyway? We won't be friends after this anymore," she cried. She passed him a flash drive. "I should go."

Nick ushered her towards the couch instead. "This is supposed to make me hate you?"

"Alone, I hope it breaks your heart. It's only because of what else you already know." She gestured towards the book. "Zootopia won't even do anything. We see it happen to the kangaroos over and over. Dreams to be different are unsafe. Not only did I go off script during Carrot Days, but I revealed that my dreams are unacceptable. Stu being the responsible father that he is, tried to have my mind corrected. Sentenced to two months of acting at the age of twelve."

"Corrected?"

"He attempted to terrify me into obedience. At least, he wasn't directly involved. It's all there on that flash drive. Remember, that's just the final shot."

"You're terrifying me."

"The book will too if you read it all."

Nick laughed. "You managed to make scared of a flash drive."

"I still need to decide if I want to be here or run away so you never have to see me again."

"I'm sure it isn't that bad."

"Your famous last words. I'll be on your bed crying." She walked towards his room.

He heard faint sobs coming through the door. Whatever was on the flash drive Judy gave him filled her with dread. Uneasily he inserted it into his computer. A video began playing featuring a naked Judy in grass field clutching a gigantic carrot across her lap. Immediately, he shut the player.

"Can I come in?" He knocked on the door. "I saw four seconds of the video before turning it off." He joined her on the bed. Her tear-filled eyes gave him pause.

"So, why aren't you running away? Connect the dots, stay away, keep your sanity while I go back to Bunnyburrow," she cried. "You backed out after four seconds. They called me Snuggle when the last thing I wanted was to be close to anyone."

"I did that on principle. Possession of the very video itself is illegal."

"Watch it all for me, see what I went through." She all but pleaded. "I'm such a coward for not telling you everything about Bunnyburrow instead leaving it to some book. Just find someone else. Imagine if I gave you no warning. You saw how many acting penalties there can be. It's a carte blanche meaning anything can happen."

"It's not your fault."

"For not being blunt with the truth? It absolutely is. Even now, I'm still relying on a book when you know what the stakes are."

"I'll watch it all for you." Nick returned to the computer where the illegal videos awaited.

He finished the first video, aside from the nudity, and questionable carrot, it would seem innocent. Her voice was certainly beautiful as she sang a love song. Not only did she appear happy, but her movements also seemed natural too. Her words echoed in his mind that it was the final take. The implications were that it took multiple shots before one where she managed to fake everything.

The second video was far more terrifying. She, a naked rabbit, at the age of twelve, danced beside a fully clothed adult pig. At least, she didn't share too much screen time with the pig. There were other naked rabbits around the same age who danced with her in a mesmerizing fashion.

It cutaway to four highly inappropriate pigs wearing bunny ears and tails before shifting back towards Judy and the other rabbits. This was adult entertainment instead of something Judy should be involved with. At least, they only danced on screen.

They made Judy look male for the third video. In all nature's glory once again as she rode a tricycle on an endless road specifically made for the shot.

He was thankful that the videos were over. With uneasy steps, he moved to his room where Judy waited. "I saw everything, I wish I hadn't. It was beyond twisted. How many retakes?"

"I lost count. They threatened me with physical harm while never acting upon it. I'm sure I was lucky because the rabbits you saw in the second video weren't the only ones they filmed me with. Sometimes, they cut the scene because of a mistake I made. Aren't you going to run away?" Judy asked. "Even now my father mocks me by calling me Jude the Dude, so I can't even pretend that he just didn't know!"

"And let you go back to Bunnyburrow with that family?" He failed to keep the anger out of his voice. "Did anything else happen to you?"

"Nothing to me, while I feared that it might every single day." She rubbed her face into his fur. "For the others? I can't be sure, but at least I didn't see. I certainly thought it did, I danced with others that had tears in their eyes while struggling to control my own."

"Forgive me for asking, how did you still manage to follow your dreams?" He had to know since she had such a controlling father.

"Three lives for one. My littermates supported me even though my family was against it. Jill pledged to become his model bunny. Jewel enlisted herself in the entertainment industry. Someone had to come up with these ideas for deviants to enjoy. She did that to protect me. Janna engrossed herself with rules and laws to protect Jewel. I don't want to leave my littermates there. It's selfish of me to even try to involve you with all this. I'm not even brave enough to tell you how it's really like myself."

"Oh, Carrots, tell me what can happen. I won't leave you over this," Nick said. If anything, he pitied Judy and everything she went through.

"I won't blame you if you do." Judy led him to where the book was. She opened the book to the courtship chapter. "Here." Her paw pointed at the relevant passage.

He read the passage twice, no thrice just to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. "But…"

"Democracy is wonderful, isn't it? When there are no rules. The worst does indeed happen. I won't let that happen to you."

"But that's two when you have three littermates, and even then, you still technically can. How can you stop them?"

"I can't stop them, Nick, I can only hope. It's only because of my littermates that I was able to follow my dreams. I owe them."

"Is there anything else I should know about?" He became terrified as his mind connected the dots.

She turned the book to the chapter on food and cuisine. "Read, I hope I don't have to explain."

His eyes glanced at the book. "Predators are much more amenable after we repurposed the condemned. We can exploit their propensity towards violence by giving them a taste of nirvana. The rest of the world can come for culinary delights while we align ourselves with those who feel eternal hunger after a taste. It matters not, the supply is endless. The need for civility creates the perfect thrall." – Clever the First.

"Explain?" His ears pointed downwards in shame as if it was something he should understand.

"Bunnyburrow feeds predators rabbits to control them."

"Pardon me." Nick rushed to the bathroom to retch. This was too much for him to handle.

He felt Judy stroking his head. "There, there," she whispered.

"Is there more?" He cleaned himself up before turning to face her.

"The world turns a blind eye since it doesn't directly impact them while we supply the forbidden. That's what Bunnyburrow is like."

"And you expect me to go there?" He asked, if only for confirmation.

She nodded. "To save my littermates."

"I need some time to think. I don't want to lie to you."

"You can tell me to leave whenever you want. I won't hold it against you."

He made his way back to the couch where he stared at the ceiling as turbulent thoughts swirled in his mind. Bunnyburrow was insanity incarnate from what Judy as well as the book described. It was unthinkable that a place like that could exist in the modern era.

"Do you mind if I stay here?" Judy interrupted his thoughts. "Until you send me away." He motioned that it was okay. She cried into his shirt while waiting for the inevitable to come.

His mind shot down every suggestion he thought of as implausible or wishful thinking. Even though Zootopia had laws, there were plenty of ways to circumvent them thanks to its initial creation. Every species wanted to preserve their customs and traditions. If it stayed within the family, Zootopia didn't have a say on the final outcome. Some species hid the injustices better than others.

If he turned the book in to Chief Bogo, it certainly would shock the world, but there likely wouldn't be a lasting impact. They would fade away into the shadows by either Bunnyburrow or Zootopia's own covert forces.

"What if your littermates moved away?" Nick asked.

"Upon the age of thirty, if the litter didn't take part in the courtship rituals, they're repurposed for entertainment. My plan is for me and my siblings to court you, after that, we turn away from Bunnyburrow."

"Do you really think it'll be that easy?'

"Of course not, but it's the only plan I have. How else can we live without becoming fugitives?"

He stroked her head while pondering the question. It seemed so hopeless given her predicament. She opened the book to the section on contracts. Her paw pointed towards a vital section. "Any contract written in blood will be followed to the letter."

"I will sign whatever you write, as long as you help me and my littermates."

"Are you forgetting I already have the book itself as leverage?" he said.

"What can I do to convince you?"

"Nothing."

Her tears fell freely now.

He remained silent for several minutes. She needed an answer from him, yet he didn't want to lie. After contemplating his options, he replied, "I won't leave you, Fluff."

"Really?" She stared into his eyes.

"Really."

"You are my sweetest love…"

* * *

 **A/N: Feedback welcome.**


	3. Arrangements

**Chapter 3: Arrangements**

* * *

"That was beautiful," Nick said at the end of her song.

She rubbed her chin on his shirt.

"So, when are you going to tell your littermates of your plan?"

"I'll do it sometime this week."

"What are my future mates like?" Nick regretted not asking this before.

"You should form opinions of them yourself."

"I don't suppose you'll give me ways to contact them?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll set everything up."

Judy left his house in a much better mood compared to how she arrived. Nick felt he no longer had to read the book.

* * *

It took a week before Judy told him what she arranged. "You're going to Podunk in Deerkbrooke County to meet Jill who's a brown doe with green eyes underneath the giant tree in the center of the village."

"Come again? Why don't you just let me talk to her?" Nick wasn't thrilled at the proposed location.

"You're free today with no plans."

"Today?" Nick couldn't believe Judy dropped this on him.

"She'll be there by noon which gives you four hours to arrive."

"And you're not even going to give me her contact information? What if we get lost?"

"Don't worry, it's a small village."

"Why won't you give me her cell?"

"It's better this way. I can always cancel. Oh, and thirty minutes already passed."

"Argh, fine." Nick gave in as he decided that meeting one of her littermates in unfavorable conditions was better than nothing. He was going to deal with her after his meeting with Jill. It was ludicrous to give him only a literal four hours' notice to travel to a place that required two hours. When she said she'd take care of it, he didn't know this was what she had in mind.

He made himself presentable before driving towards Podunk. It was such a stupid plan that Judy literally forced him to agree to. She refused to give him her littermates contact number despite not providing a valid reason beyond asking him to trust her.

It took him two hours to arrive in Podunk with an hour and a half to kill before Jill would arrive. He noted the distinct lack of predators as if his very presence was out of place. Deer which he shouldn't be surprised, sheep and horses. The gigantic tree in the middle of the village wasn't hard to find at all.

He checked out a local shop in which the locals regarded his very presence with fear. His cell phone was missing when he tried to call Judy to complain about this arrangement. This made him more frustrated as that meant Judy intentionally swiped his cell phone leaving him without any way of contacting someone. Judging by the way the locals acted, no one would lend him a paw either.

This backward place didn't even accept credit cards on top of having a poor variety of goods to sell. He didn't know why on earth Judy thought this was a good idea.

"Sir, you've been walking around for four minutes without trying to buy something. Are you trying to steal?" A sheep wearing an employee's uniform walked towards him.

"I don't have any cash and I learned this backward place doesn't accept credit cards, so I'm window shopping."

"I'm going to ask you to leave."

"Fine." He shot the sheep a look of contempt before walking out of the store.

After a few more stores he decided this village was not only hostile, it had nothing interesting. He laid on a bench in the shadow of the tree while waiting for time to pass. Only thirty minutes remained.

He must have dozed off while staring at the sky as he heard spraying the next time he opened his eyes. "What the?"

A brown doe with green eyes carrying a bottle of Fox Away sprayed his shirt. "Why isn't this working?"

Despite his frustration, this was too comical not to laugh. The doe took the name Fox Away literally.

"So, what are you doing?" he asked.

The doe frantically shook the bottle before spraying his shirt again staining it with more orange pepper.

"You have no idea how to use that, do you?" He saw the fear in her eyes as he spoke. Judy was certainly going to get an earful from him when he returned to Zootopia.

She ran away, afraid, screaming for help.

He saw a deer approach. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing. She tried to pepper spray me, and I didn't disappear." He contemplated if he should chase after the doe or head home to Zootopia. The day was beyond disappointing. Although, he had no choice as he saw the doe enter her car before speeding off. "What a waste of time."

There was no reason for him to remain in this place, so he entered his car. He learned that not only did Judy not reveal to her littermates that he was a fox, one was deathly afraid of him which was sure to complicate matters. Zootopia was a good two-hour drive away.

The journey back home didn't take too long mentally as anger and rage kept his brain on auto-pilot.

"You're back soon," Judy said as she helped herself to food in his home.

"We need to talk." Nick struggled to contain his rage.

"About?"

"Let's see, you swipe my cell phone, so I couldn't contact you, you not revealing that I was a fox to your littermate, and I learned that she took the brand Fox Away literally, so she sprayed my shirt before running off when it failed. Need I go on?"

"Fine, I'll take the blame for what I did, but you misplaced your own cell phone. I thought even a profile picture would make her hesitate. She fears foxes."

"That would've been helpful to know before you sent me there with only four hours of notice. What were you thinking?"

"I hoped that something would work out between you two. Where is my phone anyway?"

"I saw it right beside your bed."

"Give me the cell numbers of your littermates." Nick could've sworn he didn't forget his cell phone there. He wasn't sure enough to call her out that she was lying, however. It was better to believe if he had forgotten his cell phone just as she claimed.

"In three weeks."

"Why do I have to wait that long?"

"You're emotional, Nick, and likely dying to mutter a string of obscenities at my littermate. Besides, any contact from you will likely make the situation even worse."

"Three weeks it is," he agreed If only because he didn't want a long drawn out argument.

* * *

The next Friday, he bumped into Duke Weaselton while on a stroll after his shift. "Hey, I have information for you."

"Whatever it is that you want, you're better off asking Finnick." Nick narrowed his eyes.

"The rumor has it they're giving away slaves at this address. I saw some predators walk out with a rabbit beside them."

"Why didn't you try to get one yourself?"

"There are lines that I wouldn't cross, and this is one of them."

He headed towards the address Duke gave without telling anyone namely because of the book he received from Judy. It wasn't that he didn't believe Duke but that he did considering everything he learned about rabbit culture. Leer Street soon appeared within his sights. It didn't have a sinister feel to it at all, neither did the house. The house had a typical white exterior just like every other house on the block with nothing else that looked suspicious.

A tiger and a rabbit walked out of this house. He walked up to question them before they entered their car. "Hi, can I have both of your names?"

"I'm Lilly, and this is my friend Fiona," the doe replied.

Nick felt disappointed as he expected something different before entering the house himself to investigate even though it looked like every other house on the block. "Say, Fiona, why were you there in the house?"

"Lilly needs a place to live after deciding to move to Zootopia. The place matches rabbits in need of roommates with others."

"Which organization does this?"

"Bunnies for All."

"Thank you."

He entered the house where a voice immediately told him to head to room four upstairs. Although, since he was investigating, he decided to head towards other rooms first. The kitchen was right near the entrance of the house. There were several strands of fur around indicating that multiple mammals were here before.

The first room he explored had one on the door. There was nothing suspicious inside, just a typical bedroom. He turned towards room number six. A properly clothed buck was browsing his laptop while on the bed. The buck's clothes showed off his love of video games.

"Hi, are you going to be my roommate?" the buck asked.

"Uh huh," Nick mumbled. "When does the slave part come up in this charade of yours?"

"Slavery is illegal in Zootopia, do I need to call the police?"

"Actually, I think I have the wrong room." He left the room to explore, but the buck followed him. "You're following me?"

"I don't trust you."

"Suit yourself." Nick proceeded to explore the house in its entirety, taking note of every bedroom the house contained. To his disappointment, there was nothing that could qualify as sinister.

"What are you looking for? My name's Marcus."

"Evidence of slavery, struggle, anything?"

"What gave you that idea? This place matches rabbits with prospective roommates in Zootopia."

A doe lay naked in room number eight. She had cream colored fur with the room decorated with posters containing varieties of flowers.

"You were saying?" Nick had to gloat. "Tell me this doesn't look suspicious."

"Miss, why are you naked?" Marcus asked.

"I don't like to wear clothes in the house so this way I let my prospective roommate know in advance." The doe played with herself.

"Do you plan to offer sexual favors too like this performance of yours?" Nick couldn't believe what was happening in front of him.

"What's gotten into your sick and twisted mind? I do what I want, not what you want. Please leave my room now before I call the cops."

They walked out of the room.

"Satisfied now?" Marcus chastised.

"Did Duke lie to me?"

"Who's he?"

"A weasel who told me this place was giving away slaves."

"And you want one, don't you?"

"Of course not, it's illegal. I'm investigating. Although, the announcer did tell me to go to room four. I decided to check around a bit."

"Well, we've explored four rooms so far. There are four more upstairs. If it's anything like you claim, I will report it."

Nick counted his blessings that out of uniform, Marcus didn't recognize him as a cop. After all, he was just a fox. After three vacant rooms that didn't cause suspicion, the final room awaited them. He certainly didn't believe Duke had any motive to lie, but this place wasn't like how Duke described it at all.

A scantily clad black doe with red clothes was in the fourth room. The room itself contained multiple pictures of kits having fun in open fields as if she was a teacher.

"Hi." She sniffed the new arrivals.

"You might want to run away." Marcus gritted his teeth.

"Oh?" Nick asked. "What's so special about her?"

"That necklace she wears, you've been targeted for removal."

"I just want a roommate." She wore a white necklace in the shape of a crescent moon. "Besides, what are you doing here? You have your own room for prospective visitors. Maybe, you should return there."

"You seem awfully anxious for him to leave," Nick remarked. "Did something not go according to plan?"

"That necklace means trouble, considering everything else you've been telling me." Marcus's fur was still bristling.

"This? I pawned it from my sister. You can have it if you want."

"Likely story."

She tossed the necklace to Marcus as if it was nothing. "Do you even know this handsome fox's name?"

"Well, no," Marcus replied.

"I don't suppose you'll tell us your name?"

Nick debated if he should tell everyone his name since as a fox Marcus didn't recognize him, but if he revealed his name, Marcus might. He decided to ask his own question. "I don't suppose you can tell me yours?"

"Well, if your name's a secret, mine can be too."

"Aren't slaves supposed to be obedient?"

"That is illegal in Zootopia. Now, do I call the ZPD or let you go? Yes, I know who you are."

Not willing to quibble over phrasing, Nick backed away from the room. Marcus bore him no ill will surprisingly. "If you entered that room first, I think you might have disappeared."

"I guess I have you to thank."

Nick drove home while wondering what he should reveal to Judy. He dialed his cell after making himself comfortable on the couch. "Hey, how are you?"

"What's up?"

"Does a white crescent moon necklace mean anything to you?"

"Are you okay? What did you do? Where are you?" she shouted into the phone in a voice filled with fear.

"Calm down, I'm fine, nothing happened. I'm back home finally. What does it mean?"

"That's it, I'm coming over."

"It's eight at night."

"Don't care, it'll be too complicated to explain over the phone."

Nick hadn't bothered to make himself food as there were more pressing matters. He searched the internet for "Bunnies for All." It was just like they claimed, a charitable organization that helps bunnies adapt to Zootopia.

It didn't take long for Judy to arrive at his house, much faster than he expected.

He opened the door. "You rushed here."

"What did you do?" She made way towards the couch.

"What does it mean?" He certainly wasn't going to let her change the topic on him.

"You know, the intelligence agencies? Well, you stumbled on to someone from Bunnyburrow's equivalent. That doesn't just happen."

Nick recounted his adventure earlier today. "And then I returned home with nothing."

"It doesn't make sense."

"So, I don't have to worry about suddenly disappearing in the middle of the night?"

"Not since they were willing to call the ZPD on you. The rabbit who told you to run is more likely in danger, but not like we can do much about that. What Duke mentioned does exist, but I haven't heard of it happening in Zootopia. You weren't thinking when you went in there alone even though nothing happened."

"But how can I tell anyone?"

"Are you saying that tip alone isn't worthy of following up on? If you didn't have any knowledge from the book, would you have ignored it? Going into that place alone, unarmed, not telling anyone is stupid despite the actual outcome."

"I was just posing as a regular mammal going there to receive a slave."

"What if they gave you one?"

"Set them free, turn in anyone participating."

"That, of course, is the best possible outcome. And if they got suspicious and decided to take care of you? You had no back up investigating a place that's supposedly committing illegal activity in Zootopia based off a tip from Duke Weaselton no less."

"Fine, I get it," Nick said.

"Just don't do that again, my dumb fox. I could have lost you." She held his head on her chest.

* * *

 **A/N: This story's similar-yet-different. Total discarded words count: 2068**


	4. Entrapment

**A/N: Enter Jewel 2.0 or 0.5 depending on how well I did.**

 **Chapter 4: Entrapment**

* * *

Jewel was disappointed that her ploy had failed. She went out of her way to prepare a test just for Nick, but that stupid buck had the audacity to intervene!

"Can we do something about Marcus?" she called Janna.

"You know the answer, and you know what I will do."

Jewel shuddered at the implied threat. "But he ruined our plans!"

"We'll think of something else."

"I'm well within my rights."

"Come to the hotel, that buck is to remain unharmed."

She debated if she should reclaim her necklace from the buck. He couldn't do much with it as it was illegal to wear one unauthorized. Janna forbade her from acting against the buck that ruined their plans. Nick slipped away from her paws thanks to his interference.

The buck was already back in his room after she packed things. She decided not to disturb him. A part of her hoped that someone would enact her vengeance upon him as possession of the amulet itself was problematic.

It took a good hour of walking before she reached the hotel Janna picked. She was tired when she finally arrived at their room.

"Where's the necklace?" Janna asked.

"Marcus has it."

"Did he not willingly give it back to you?"

She wanted to lie to Janna, but she knew the consequences all too well. "I didn't ask."

"Go back and get it from him then, now." Janna slapped her left cheek with enough force to make her cry.

"But I just walked an hour to get here," she said while tears blurred her vision.

"I don't care, and don't you dare try to pull rank on me. Also, come right back here."

"It's already nine-thirty at night."

"Well, you better start walking then, but first let's recite the rules."

Jewel had three rules she had to follow. "One: Do not harm the innocent. Two: Torture only to save lives. Three: The dead do not matter."

"Good girl, now, start walking."

Reluctantly, she started her trek back to the house she just left. Her paws ached from the previous hour of travel. It was that stupid buck's fault for all of this. If he hadn't ruined her plans, she'd be enjoying the night instead of walking on the streets.

A part of her regretted not calling the ZPD then and there on Nick Wilde. It would've been interesting, but it would change the relationship between them and not in a way she wanted. She wanted to know his true nature.

Since Janna hadn't disapproved she took it as consent to proceed. It would be like one of those many nightly strolls back in Bunnyburrow where assailants were sure to take the bait. She put a shock collar on herself. Originally, her target was Nick, but thanks to that buck, she'd need another plan. He required more setup to potentially take the bait.

She walked for thirty minutes without anyone forcibly stopping her while to most it would be fortunate, but for her, it was lack of excitement. The first time she caught her own prey was liberating. Far better than using provided mammals for the same scenes. They screamed like the rest, but she told herself they deserved it.

The sound of paw steps behind her for the last couple of blocks made her excited. Someone was daring to follow her while trying to stay hidden. Her face twisted into a grin while trying to imagine the encounter.

It certainly was disappointing when she reached the house safe and sound. She barged into Marcus's room. "I've come for my amulet."

He turned the amulet over to her without any protest. She was even more disappointed that he was cooperative.

"Are you sure you don't want anything?" She blinked seductively.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation.

"You know, I really hate you."

"Why don't you just kill me?"

"The one rabbit I don't want to disobey allows you to live," she explained herself although it was really tempting to off the idiot. Thankfully, aside from scratching his head, he said no more.

Although, since she wasn't looking forward to walking back to the hotel, she called Janna, "I have the amulet again. Can I please sleep in the house?"

"Did he give you any trouble? Did anything happen to you on the way there?"

"No."

"Walk back here then."

"Someone was following me on the way back, but I never saw them."

"And if you did, it would be a blessing."

Jewel started her way back to the hotel with some encouragement from Janna. Of course, after a few blocks, she heard the all too familiar sounds of paw steps. The same one that was following her before. She contemplated if she should seek that mammal out instead of waiting for them to reveal themselves. It had been a couple days since she killed.

She stopped at a bench at a bus stop along the way. Her stalker drew close enough for her to smell that it was a wolf. Much to her disappointment, he sat next to her on the bench. "What brings you out here this fine night?"

"Walking back home after finishing errands."

"it can be dangerous out at night."

"I don't suppose you're the source of that danger?"

"That's a pretty necklace. I can guarantee you safe passage home if you give it to me."

She licked her lips. "As tempting as it may be, I got in trouble for trying to throw it away. I'd rather not go through that again."

The wolf subtly picked her purse thinking it would escape her notice. It contained the remote to her collar, specifically designed for her prey. "I think you should obey me." He waved the remote in front of her face.

"So, it took a remote to give you courage. You're not very good at this, are you? We're near each other, what happens if I simply try to take it back?"

As predicted, the wolf pushed a button sending waves of pleasure through her being.

"You shouldn't use devices that you don't know. Give it back and all is forgiven." She sensed his resolve wavering between to proceed or not to. His hesitation indicated that she was her first target. "Fine, just so you know, one of the buttons will kill you. I'll be leaving now."

He didn't stop her from leaving, but as she walked a few steps, she heard a pained yelp. This made her turn back around to the bench. She pried the remote from the unconscious wolf's grasp. It dawned on her that if this was back in Bunnyburrow, she would've considered letting this wolf go, but within Zoootopia, a slow and agonizing death awaited him.

She continued her way back to the hotel. It was midnight by the time she arrived. Her sister was busy watching clips on the television. "Did you have any fun?"

"Nope." Jewel knew her prey was going to die, but that encounter didn't bring her satisfaction. "I was his first target when he finally had the nerve to approach even then indecision plagued his mind. He made the fatal choice but there was no thrill or sense of danger."

"Are you feeling remorse? We can save him if you want."

"Oh? What about your obsession with the fox? He's the reason you even made the cure in the first place. Since when do we care about the damned?"

"Let's get ready for bed. It's been a long day."

Jewel observed that her sister dodged the question.

They entered the shower together where Janna took proper care of Jewel's fur.

"My fur's fine," Jewel grumbled.

"Relax, enjoy it."

It wasn't that she disliked her sister's touch, but she didn't want it right now. After an eternity, Janna finally allowed her to leave the shower. Now, she sat in a chair while her sister used a fur dryer making her black fur shine.

"There silky and smooth." Janna sniffed her fur multiple times.

"Can we go to sleep now?" Jewel resisted the urge to push her sister's nose away. "It's nearly one in the morning."

"Why don't you tell me to stop?" Her sister moved on to licking her fur now.

Jewel sighed. "I'm still being punished, aren't I? Isn't retrieving the necklace enough?"

"But I didn't say that."

Too tired for mental games, she closed her eyes trying to sleep while sitting in a chair as her sister groomed her naked body.

It was morning the next time Jewel opened her eyes. She didn't know when Janna moved them to the bed, but she hugged her body like a pillow. It was her turn for predatory grooming since Janna must be tired after trying to prevent her from sleeping properly. However, her efforts were in vain as her sister appeared to be enjoying the treatment.

Annoyed, she closed her eyes once more to sleep. After a few hours passed with Janna still keeping her trapped in bed, she said, "I want to get out of bed."

"Why didn't you say so?" Janna replied.

She glared at her sibling but remained silent. With her newfound freedom, she put on clothes since Janna didn't. "What's the plan today?"

"Well, I was thinking that we should rent a house right next to Nick Wilde. Dial the ZPD for help once we've everything set up. He should take the bait if we do it right after he arrives home."

"I'll go back to Bunnyburrow while you make the arrangements." Jewel was bored as she expected something exciting today.

"No, you won't. You've already fulfilled your quota for the month. Right now, you're on vacation unless if I need to take the option away from you."

"Why did I ever agree to this? There's no fox to torment or to cuddle."

"The more you complain, the more you risk losing your freedom."

Janna informed Jewel of her plan. She was to meet their hosts in the flesh after they picked a place to stay.

"And why can't you do it?" Jewel asked.

"I'll be the one needing help after we set the scene. Besides, you've already met the fox."

"That's supposed to be my role."

"Our sister might have connected the dots depending on how much he revealed."

Jewel reluctantly agreed with her reasonable arguments. "Fine," she grumbled.

"Can I trust you not to kill anyone while the plot is underway?"

"Yes," she replied easily but she took it as a warning that she had to be hyperaware of her own actions. A single misused word would rob her the right of killing anyone for an indeterminate amount of time. Even though she outranked her sibling, she didn't want to defy her wishes.

They found a house for rent right next to where Nick lived. "This is perfect," Janna said. "We can book it for five nights."

"A few hours before they reply at least."

It took every ounce of self-control not to lash out at her sister for forcing her to suffer through so much boredom. They wasted two hours watching some movie that preached how friendship solved everything. Her sister was perceptive enough to note that she hated every moment despite grinning and bearing it.

"So, you hated that, what do you want to do?"

Despite the benign question, a sinister motive lurked behind it. What her sister really asked was "What do you want to do that I would approve?"

It was the least painful thing she could think of, considering how much Judy preached about the singer it couldn't be that horrible. "Why don't we attend Gazelle's concert?"

Another two hours went, but it wasn't that bad. Anyone could relate to the song – Try Everything. It certainly helped that she had an okay voice. Granted, she smiled while thinking of ways to have fun when they returned to Bunnyburrow.

The response she waited for came when they were eating at a nearby restaurant. She agreed to meet the owners within an hour. With her stomach sated, she drove to meet their hosts.

The leopard family waited by the driveway as she approached. "Hi." She waved.

"So, this will be the key to the house. Enjoy your stay for five days."

"Not a problem." She watched the leopards take off to wherever.

She explored the newly rented house thinking of the best ways to construct a scene. Her goals were to see if Nick would take advantage of her sister when she's in a vulnerable state. Their first attempt failed, and this would be their second.

The house had no special features much to her disappointment, no secret rooms or disturbing appliances. It contrasted sharply with homes in Bunnyburrow which often held at least one disturbing secret or open secret. With her exploration finished she slept on the bed waiting for tomorrow.

Morning came after a peaceful night's rest. She picked up her sister before even taking a bite of breakfast. "The house has nothing secretive," she said.

"So, have you decided on what you want to do?"

"Yes." She didn't reveal her plans for fear of disapproval. "Let's buy everything we need."

Shopping took up most of the day which helped stave off her boredom. She had a vast assortment of items in mind which they needed to buy. They bought food, music equipment as well as restraining gear. It certainly wasn't cheap, but the result would be worth it.

Her sibling's incessant reminders dampened her mood when they arrived at the house.

"You realize that's the fifth time you reminded me today. I'm not going to kill anyone."

"I'm just worried, that's all."

"It pains me that I'm not the one in the spotlight, but it's for the best since he already suspects something and that's assuming our sister didn't connect the dots."

"You're jealous."

"Very much so."

"Do you want to take my place?" Janna's concern this time made her rage.

"It's fine."

By the end of the night, it was clear that Janna didn't trust her on her own, but enough for their plans tomorrow. She certainly hoped it was a subconscious effort rather than a conscious one where Janna repeatedly reminded her that no one was to die during their plan. Despite her annoyance with her sister, she hadn't once disobeyed her wishes which made this day more frustrating.

She found comfort within the warmth of her fur when it was time to sleep.

* * *

The grand day arrived at last. Jewel wanted to see how Nick would react to this new scene. There was a final element she debated if she should include for the day's events.

"Do you think he will need the cure?" Jewel asked.

"No," Janna replied.

This mirrored her own judgment. Sure, if she asked her sibling for approval, she'd vehemently object to her plans for good reason too. She had a beyond reckless plan just to make herself feel special. It was selfish but also something she desperately wanted.

Her sibling interrupted her thoughts. "When are you going to start?"

"Let's put up the surveillance cameras."

They rigged the entire house as a formality even though she had her mind on two rooms at most. It certainly didn't suit her well that her sibling again reminded her not to kill anyone while this plan of theirs was underway. She decided to reassure her sister once again while not letting her see her failing mood.

After lunch, she started taking photos of her sister and her in a multitude of locations around the house.

"You're apprehensive about this too," Janna said.

Jewel smiled as Janna completely misread her motivations. She took a few pictures of her sister completely naked as it would take her a couple weeks before her coat grew back.

"Five hours left, and you haven't really started," Janna reminded her.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll have enough time. Why don't we begin now?"

The first thing she did was gag her sister making her unable to do anything but whimper.

"If you try to remove your gag I will cuff your paws," Jewel said as a formality.

She recorded Janna's whimpers from several distances testing which one sounded best. It had to be clear enough for the police to send a team to investigate. After making a mental note of that, she moved on.

"I've been contemplating, should I shave off all your fur?" Jewel asked.

Janna started shaking her head.

"Fine, you get one chance. Explain yourself." She removed her gag allowing her to speak.

"Nick wouldn't like a furless rabbit."

With her opinion given, Jewel put the gag back on.

Her next move was to shave all her sister's fur leaving her furless. "Now you can use his fur for warmth once he arrives. It gives you the perfect excuse."

The next thing she wanted was Janna to be crying genuine tears by the time Nick arrived. She struck Janna's body several times with a whip careful not to inflict any permanent damage to the point where Janna thought it would be a good idea to remove her gag herself which forced her to bind her paws together, for the moment.

Janna was whimpering consistently by the time she decided it was enough. Not even trying to crawl away made her stop. Her facial appearance was satisfactory.

She led Janna to the table near the entrance. Her next command was for Janna to jump on top which given her current predicament she lacked the strength to so she helped her instead. The restraints came next leaving Janna barely able to move her paws.

The lighting was the next element she played with. How should it look when Nick first enters the room? They bought several multi-colored spotlights for her to play with seeing as she was undecided at the time. She moved on to remove the lights the house already had while regretting not thinking of this sooner and having Janna help with the task.

Multiple different colored lights shone directly on Janna's exposed body. She tested this viewpoint by entering and leaving the house several times until she deemed it satisfactory. It had to look surreal like as if it was a dream come true.

She decided to go along with her reckless selfish plan as the payoff would be worth way more than the consequences. The remote to her shock collar contained a fatal toxin strong enough to kill anyone that pressed it on top of delivering a nasty shock. It didn't matter that it was reckless, she pressed the button herself. When the time was right, she'd reveal it to Janna.

It took her fifteen minutes to recover as predicted. This gave her three days before the toxin's effects would be irreversible. Her sister would vehemently object due to the risks it posed. They made a cure for one at her sister's insistence initially. Their target shouldn't need it, thus she wanted something more dramatic.

Her sister glanced at her as if wanting to ask what she was doing since she left her alone for twenty minutes without the finishing touches. She decorated her sister with food as if her sister was a lavish meal. She placed blueberries near her sister's most intimate places as they were Nick's favorite, with whipped cream, fruit, insect chips covering the rest of her body.

With a glance at the time, she was twenty minutes ahead of schedule as Nick hadn't returned from his shift yet. She wasn't certain if Janna would approve this element, but her sister was certainly in no position to protest. For music, she made the computer play a romantic song sung by Judy loud enough for someone just walking in to hear, on repeat.

The lack of active whimpering from Janna was a concern, but first, she waited for Nick to return which she could see from the window. It was just as they predicted, Nick returned on time, alone from work. She placed several packs of ice touching Janna's body enough to make her cry once more.

It was simply beautiful. A helpless bunny clearly in pain waiting to be rescued. She saved the shock collar and the remote for last as they were her prized possessions. With the collar in place, and the remote several feet in front of her sister the setup was nearly complete. If Nick pressed the remote, he would die without a cure.

"The cure will be on the bed in the bedroom. Clench your paws if you understand."

A devious idea flashed into her mind, one that crossed several lines. She undid a few restraints on her sister's legs causing her confusion. With some effort, she broke her legs before putting the restraints back in place. Her sister would be unable to chase after her, herself.

She took a few photos of her work before allowing the show to begin. One call to the ZPD while placing the phone in her sister's paws. All her sister could do was cry and whimper into the phone. Now, all Nick had to do was take the bait while she slipped out the back eager for the results. It was still her duty to keep watch on the off chance something went wrong.

If everything went according to plan, no one would die. This was exciting.

* * *

 **A/N: Feedback very much appreciated regarding characterization. Total discarded words: 334**


	5. Cascade

**Chapter 5: Cascade**

* * *

Nick and Judy rushed towards an elementary school where mammals reported a savage predator. They saw a rabbit kit who had most of her ear bitten off arguing with a cheetah in the principal's office as they rushed towards the commotion. In the hallway, panicked students and teachers stood around a barricaded door to the classroom while a savage wolf clawed relentlessly trying to break out.

"Everyone back away from the door."

They waited for everyone to back away and give them enough space to work. Nick used a nearby fire extinguisher to smash the window open giving Judy a clear shot when she used him as a stepping stone. The savage wolf was no match for cops armed with tranquilizers.

True horror awaited them inside the classroom. Not only were there dead students but wounded ones as well as ones trapped under the desks. Judy secured a muzzle on the savage wolf while Nick helped free the wounded students. It shocked them that there were mammals still alive in the room with a savage wolf. She promptly called for ambulances next and help to take the wolf away.

"What happened?" Nick asked.

"Is – is it over?" the newly freed fawn mumbled.

After back up arrived, they started talking to the students. They learned the wolf suddenly became savage without any warning at all. The attack shocked the students so much at first that they struggled to process what was happening in front of their very eyes. It was unexpected in the middle of a test as the wolf started attacking them.

Two mammals were dead within the immediate classroom, a cougar cub and a lamb. Nick and Judy searched for the culprit that caused the incident, but they found nothing. The classroom was still a mess but that wasn't their concern.

They stopped by the principal's office where the rabbit kit was still arguing with the cheetah.

"Hi, can I help?" Judy asked.

"You can, by leaving," the rabbit kit replied. Bandages covered parts of her head where the stubs of her ear remained. Her red-brown fur was unable to mask the scent of blood.

"I'm Miss Spots. Emma Petal here insists that I don't contact her parents." The cheetah paused because the rabbit kit tried to bite her tail. "She's very hostile towards rabbits and prefers that I don't speak with her here." She gestured towards Judy.

"I'll step out of the room." Judy whispered to Nick, "Just try not to give away too much." He felt her warm breath on his ear.

The kit started talking when Judy went far enough way. She wove a tale that because her grades were poor her parents wanted to get rid of her by using the teacher. It certainly didn't help that the kit revealed her parents worked within the Night Howler trade. If Nick didn't have any knowledge of the book, it would've seemed absurd beyond belief.

"My parents are going to kill me because I have bad grades since my teacher failed," Emma said as she finished her story.

"What do you want to happen?" Nick couldn't reveal the secrets he shouldn't know since it was only those that made him believe her tale.

"Anything, including sucking your carrot just don't let my parents take me away."

Miss Spots apologized, "I'm very sorry about her rude behavior. That's really inappropriate. You should save that for someone you love."

"I just don't want to die."

Nick closed his eyes to think, contemplating how much he should reveal and what he could hide. Miss Spots was restraining the kit since she openly tried seduction which caused Nick to step back a bit to gain some distance. Given everything Nick knew about rabbit society, he understood why the kit was so hesitant about returning home. Judy's own tale lingered on his mind. She was lucky that nothing happened to her.

"I don't understand why you fear your parents so much, but how does a night or two away from them sound? Maybe, this was a big misunderstanding?" Nick had to lie to hide his knowledge of bunny customs.

"No, that's just a few extra days at life. I'll be on my best behavior for any family, I just don't want to live with rabbits."

"I can't promise you that."

"Then I'm staying here where it's safe. I'll sleep in the school."

"I'm going to call the chief for advice. Give me a minute." Nick walked out of the office, but not before seeing the look of absolute despair on Emma's face. "Chief, we have a problem."

"What's the headline now?"

"Do you have that little faith in us?"

"Get to the point."

Nick told Bogo about his current situation with the paranoid rabbit kit willing to do anything to stay away from her own parents. He lied to Bogo about not believing the kit even though he did.

"Get him to the precinct, we'll figure something out. He'll be safe."

Nick broke the news to Emma who became instantly obedient at the promise of safety. He led her out of the principal's office to find Judy.

"Why's she here?" Emma's tone displayed her disdain for rabbits.

"She's my partner," Nick replied.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen to you." Judy tried to give a comforting pat only for the rabbit to shy away. "Maybe, you should take her to the station alone, Nick."

"No." Nick objected since even though the kit was suffering, there was a limit to how much he was willing to accommodate. Thankfully, the kit gave in after Nick agreed to sit in the back with her while in transit. Silence permeated the air during the drive to the precinct.

Nick escorted the kit to Chief Bogo as soon as they arrived. However, much to his embarrassment Emma tried to offer herself to the chief.

Bogo rubbed his hoof on his face. "Don't do that, Emma. You won't have to do that just to feel safe."

Using some furniture nearby Nick whispered into Bogo's ear, "Sir, I believe she's overtly paranoid about her parents."

"Emma, would you object to meeting your parents, here where it's safe?"

"If I have to sir," she replied. She sounded so defeated at what happened to her. "I'd rather live with any other family as long as it's not my own species. I'll be good, promise."

"Why do you dislike rabbits?"

"My parents are rabbits and rabbits flock together. They'll do what my parents couldn't."

"Everything's going to be okay. We'll find you someplace where you'll feel safe and won't be taken advantage of."

It was a heartwarming sight to see the chief comfort the kit as best as he could given the tremendous size difference.

"Bring her parents here. They're not under arrest, but I would like to question them and hopefully resolve this without taking her away from them."

"My parents won't hurt me, will they?" Emma asked.

"Have they hurt you before?"

"No, but I think they will."

Nick left Bogo's office with their new assignment in mind.

"We need to bring the kit's parents here," Nick informed Judy who waited outside patiently.

They used computers to easily find the kit's parents. Her parents worked at a flower shop within Zootopia Central called the Luxurious Petal. It was only a thirty-minute drive to the shop.

Nick informed Judy of all that happened with the kit once they were in the cruiser. "What do you think?"

"It seems absurd that something like that can be deployed with such precision. We didn't find a shooter mind you."

"So, they aren't guilty?"

"Hard to say."

The flower shop came into view. There were multiple flowers right outside for sale, none of which caught his eye because it was normal. Once inside, everything changed. "Wait, since when do flowers cost over a thousand?" Nick asked. His eyes fixated on the expensive price tags. They were all kept behind protective glass containers. A few other mammals were there trying to pick which flowers. Two rabbits seemed to be in charge, matching the description of Emma's parents.

A red rabbit walked up to greet them wearing a shirt depicting a variety of exotic flowers and their names. "Can I help you?" he asked.

Nick decided to test the waters with a few inquiries before delving into official business. "I don't suppose you have Night Howlers for sale? My partner here wanted to experience what happened within the museum but for real."

Judy backed into a display causing some sound.

"Give me a minute." The owner opened a restricted door before disappearing inside.

Judy tugged his tail briefly to let him know she was not okay with this, but not enough to derail his plans.

The rabbit returned with a flower in a glass box with the price tag of several hundred dollars. "Before you're allowed to purchase this flower, you must read aloud everything within this book."

"Won't that disrupt your business? I'm not the only customer here."

"My mate can handle the other customers while you recite from the book the dangers and uses of Midnicampum holicithias." He moved to the middle of the shop. "You can begin reading here."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Nick said as he moved to the center of the shop.

"It's standard protocol."

Nick started reading the book while feeling like it was a gigantic waste of time. A minute passed before Judy stopped him. "Alright, that's enough." She closed the book in front of him. "This plan of yours has gone too far."

"What? I didn't know purchasing Night Howlers was going to be so complex. We could have fun later." Nick's tail slithered across her back.

"Please ignore my partner. We're actually here on official business, is there a place where we can talk alone?"

The owner admitted, "I called the ZPD out of concern for you."

"Great, one more thing to take care of, thank you for your concern. Nick, you're in so much trouble. I'll tell the Chief it was a false alarm." She promptly dialed the chief explaining the situation. It took only a minute. "Thankfully, he doesn't care for the details as usual. Anyway, we're looking for Edward and Karen Petal."

"That's me and my mate."

"There's been an incident involving your daughter."

"What happened?" Edward sounded like a concerned father.

"It's quite complicated."

"I'll tell my mate that we're closing now."

It took only five minutes before all the customers left leaving them alone.

"Nick, I'm not good with this." Judy tapped Nick on the shoulder.

"Her teacher went savage with the use of Night Howlers suspected. Your daughter's alive but missing most of her right ear. That's not the worst part, the worst part is her absolute desperation to stay away from you both," Nick explained. He wanted to see what the parents would reveal on their own thus he didn't divulge everything.

"Our daughter's injured and hates us?" Karen sobbed.

"That's putting it lightly. We would really like to know if you both have any idea how that might have happened. She also suspects you both were responsible for her teacher going savage," Judy said.

"Is there any way we can see her? We'll do everything we can to help you. We can provide records for Night Howler sales. I assure you both of us are innocent." Edward went to retrieve customer records.

Nick detected no attempt at deception from these two. "We're here to bring you two to the precinct so you can meet your daughter, however, you should know that she's willing to offer sexual favors just to stay away from you both. She believes that you wanted her dead due to bad grades and that her teacher went savage because of something you two did. Her hatred extends not only to you two but all rabbits. Since her teacher failed, you two will finish the job. It's highly likely we'll need to find another place for her to live."

The parents were at a loss for words as Nick revealed the extent of what happened. Nick felt disturbed at how cooperative the parents were and still able to hide their sacred traditions from him. If he didn't have the knowledge of the book, he would feel sympathy for the parents whereas now he felt fear because they didn't betray their species. Judy didn't even try to pressure the rabbits towards revealing their customs.

They drove the extremely cooperative parents to the precinct. On the way there the parents talked to themselves which revealed their endless despair. Their daughter waited for them right at the reception area with Chief Bogo nearby.

Emma said, "There, I saw them, they saw me. Now, get them out of my sight."

Her parents tried to approach only for Emma to cower behind Chief Bogo.

"Can you tell us why you hate us? We love you." Karen begged.

Nick wondered if Emma would blurt out the sacred rabbit customs.

Emma turned away from her parents. "My grades aren't high enough for you. Night Howlers make animals go savage. My teacher went savage. You wanted me dead, and since he failed, you'll finish the job."

"We weren't anywhere near there. We can't have caused that," Edward said.

"Delayed Night Howlers with pinpoint precision. Now, I want to never see you two again."

Karen addressed the chief, "Can you find a loving family for her where no one will take advantage of her? We'll provide money, so she can be happy. She's welcome to return home if she wants to, but we won't force her even though she's wrong about us. Her having a good life is all we care about."

"Emma, is this what you want?" Chief Bogo asked.

"Yes."

Her parents walked away while heartbroken at what transpired

* * *

Nick drove home while keeping what Emma revealed on his mind. Night Howlers were scary enough but delayed Night Howlers were terrifying. He hoped that the kit was wrong about her accusations, but it was frighteningly possible.

He received a call before he even entered his house. "Nick, someone's whimpering into the phone in the house next to yours. 1957," Clawhauser said. "Call for back up if necessary."

"On it." Nick noticed the car was new as he cautiously approached the house. "ZPD! Open up!"

After a minute without any response, he opened the door. He recognized the forbidden song as he entered. Judy's sweet innocent voice reverberated through the house. His senses were hyper-aware of danger. A few steps later, he saw a furless naked white bunny lying flat on a table, bound and gagged desperately whimpering into the phone as it was the only thing she could do. There were multiple spotlights shining on her in an otherwise dark room.

He hit the lights, but the switch didn't work. His eyes took in more details as he approached. There was a remote was in front of her. Whipped cream covered her body along with other bits of fruit. She wore a collar that looked like a fashion statement from afar until it was clear that it was a shock collar when he drew closer. Tears filled her blue eyes. He could tell that she was crying for several hours at least.

After scanning for traps, he removed the bunny's gag first because of his own aversion to muzzles.

"If you use the remote, I will be your slave," the bound bunny said. Every word she spoke conveyed that she was in pain as she failed to keep her voice steady.

"What?" He didn't expect this at all.

She gestured as best as she could to the remote in front of her. "Press it and tame me. Make me yours."

"Is anyone there?" Clawhauser yelled into the phone.

Nick picked up the cell phone. "Nick here, I don't know what happened here, but I don't think there's any danger or need for help."

He started freeing the bound bunny getting whipped cream in his claws in the process.

She didn't move after she was free. "My legs are broken. I can't stand."

"I'll call an ambulance." He dialed the ambulance which was on its way.

"If you did something to me, no one will know."

"Ma'am, I'm not attracted to you and would wish that you stop trying to seduce me."

"Paragon of virtue or is it because I don't have any fur? The remote will make me yours."

He decided to ignore the crazed white rabbit's attempts at reduction. Carefully, he placed her on the table after removing the restraints. "Can you explain what happened?"

The cell phone on the table beeped. "Can you get that for me?" she asked since she couldn't move her legs.

A message from Umbral appeared on the screen. "I'm on timed life now."

"I can't believe she did that, doesn't she care how I feel?" The white doe cried. "It terrifies me that I need you because of what she did. I'm going to be honest with you, officer, there is no crime scene. My sister did this to me and I was a willing participant. The only reason I'm telling you this is because she poisoned herself and wants you to save her. Please do this for me. The antidote on the bed in the bedroom. Please. I can't imagine life without her. Knowing her, if anyone else arrives, she'll kill herself."

The paramedics arrived so Nick cut his questions short. It wasn't like him to believe others on a whim, but the pure desperation within her voice made him think she was telling the truth. "Where is she?"

"302 Zootopia Central Hotel.

Nick helped the paramedics move the white doe to the ambulance. He went to the bedroom to find an unlabeled bottle. The entire room was for leopards that previously lived here. None of the clothes or décor resembled anything fit for rabbits. After taking the antidote and the cell phone, he left the house leaving everything else untouched. Despite his attempts to contact Umbral, she never responded.

Zootopia Central Hotel wasn't too far from the house. It took him thirty minutes to arrive. The hotel wasn't special by any means, and nothing triggered his sense of danger. Unfortunately, there was no one there to open the door.

He did try to contact Umbral, so he wouldn't have to attempt forced entry. "Where are you? The door is locked."

"Foxy's been such a good boy.  
On the rooftop, my perfect toy."

This was a public hotel thus despite the ominous tone of that message he wasn't that cautious. The rooftop was accessible to everyone in the hotel instead of just a singular mammal. He recognized the rabbit he was trying to find immediately.

"You."

The black doe gazing at the city turn towards him. She wore black that blended in with the color of her fur along with the recognizable crescent moon necklace.

"Yes, me." She leaped on the safety rails.

"Don't do this!" he shouted drawing the attention of everyone else watching the stars in the sky.

"All it takes is a single step, and you traveled all this way to save me on my sister's word. It really makes me feel special. I see the fear in your eyes because you can't do anything if I want to jump. The thought alone makes me feel alive. You rushed here with so many questions and so little answers.

"This isn't our first encounter." She licked her lips. "You've earned a photo of my beauty my obedient slave, go ahead and take It or I just might fall, and you won't even have a memory."

Rage, anger, and despair flooded his emotions all at once. He took a photo with his cell phone if only not to provoke her any further.

"Drop the antidote, leave while I savor your despair, and don't pull anything, I'll jump before anyone can possibly stop me."

He placed the antidote on the ground and left. There was nothing else he could have done. Once he was far enough away from the scene he did send Judy the photo he took with a faint chance that she might know the black doe.

"Why do you have a picture of my littermate?" Judy texted him.

* * *

 **A/N: This story feels different since I actually have a plan. Total discarded words: 849**


	6. Subservient

**Chapter 6: Subservient**

* * *

Jewel quickly drank the antidote as soon as Nick was out of sight. She had lots to do after feeling the exhilaration from the culmination of her plan. Nick left the remote within the house she rented. The remote was evidence that she had to dispose of.

He showed compassion unlike the mammals she dealt with back in Bunnyburrow although she wasn't sure if she should be disappointed that he gave in so easily. If she wanted him to resist more, it was someone she could mold him into. It was a workable situation all things considered.

Her return to the house didn't take too long as this time she wasn't walking on her bare feet. She noted that her Nick made the connection with just a photo of her. Judy flooded her cell phone with text messages that she wasn't going to answer. There was no other choice than to dispose of her burner phone to prevent tracking.

Thankfully, she arrived at the rented house without any issues where she disposed of the remote as it served its purpose. She also turned off the song that was still playing. It was far too late to visit her sister today thus she returned to the hotel to sleep.

The next morning, she felt extremely anxious about her meeting with her sister. Not only did she overstep several boundaries, but she tried to imagine what her sister would want in turn. Whatever her sister wanted she would do. After a quick breakfast, she changed into a white shirt to plead for forgiveness before setting out for the hospital.

She arrived before visiting hours even started thus she wandered around for thirty minutes before the hospital would allow her in. Soon enough, she was where Janna laid on a hospital bed.

"Tell me, do you know what that poison does?" Janna asked.

"A Brief Lament, designed to kill within a week."

"Does it do anything else?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Regardless, you didn't trust me," Janna said. "Did you even think what would happen if something went wrong? Please tell me you had a spare." Her sister chastised her just as she expected.

"I'm sorry, okay?"

"Listen well, I forbid you from recruiting any new actors without me, promise me that."

Jewel felt relieved as Janna's demands were concerns for her own safety than a punishment. Her methods of acquiring new actors for her films posed substantial risk without a backup. To technically comply with the law, she had to entice her targets into committing a crime before she destroyed their lives. Janna was there to back her up in case anything went wrong. She had enough actors for a while to satisfy her job requirements.

A lion and a polar bear wearing ZPD uniforms arrived interrupting Jewel's hospital visit.

"Excuse me, Miss Janna, I am Officer Delgato, can you give us a rundown of what happened?" the lion said. "And you are?" He pointed to Jewel.

"I'm her sister," Jewel replied.

"Drop the act, Jewel, reveal everything," Janna commanded.

"We wanted to have fun with Judy's partner, so we set up a scene just for Nick Wilde. I did go a bit too far by breaking Janna's legs. It was nothing more than an elaborate prank." Jewel revealed as much as she could without assuring their fates in prison. She hoped that was enough.

"Can you step out for just a moment?" the polar bear asked.

Jewel bumped into Nick and Judy who were waiting outside her room.

"You!" Nick said.

"Yes, me."

"Jewel, what are you doing here?" Judy asked.

"Janna will tell you, that's why you're here, isn't it?"

Jewel refused to talk to them despite their attempts at conversation, so they waited for thirty minutes before the two ZPD officers stepped out of the room allowing them to enter.

"A five-thousand dollar fine for misusing police resources. You're lucky we didn't get into more trouble," Janna said as they entered.

Nick and Judy thankfully weren't here on official business. He received many answers to the questions he had before. It was all a test since Judy didn't reveal to Jill that Nick was a fox. Jewel and Janna were careful not to reveal anything inappropriate about Bunnyburrow. They left after an hour of conversation leaving Jewel and Janna alone.

"Any rules?" Jewel continued grooming her sister's fur.

"You know the rules and if you break them, you will never see sunlight."

Jewel shuddered at the implied threat. Janna blindfolded her for a week before just to prevent her from seeing the sun. It was a brutal week. "And I'm supposed to guess what you want?"

"If I have to be explicit."

Jewel decided not to press Janna any further. She would do whatever Janna asked as a matter of principle. "I won't forget to visit every single day."

She left the hospital with the rules in mind, ones that she wouldn't dare break. It didn't take too long to pack up everything from the hotel. Next, she drove towards Nick's house with the intent of entering by any means necessary.

The door wouldn't grant her entrance, so she entered by smashing the window. She took time tossing everything inside before jumping in herself. His place wasn't too large, but nonetheless, she searched everywhere for hidden secrets.

There wasn't much in his house that stood out, but everything she deemed important she claimed with her scent. A certain book caught her eye. Her fox couldn't obtain such a book on his own. She rationalized that Judy gave him the book instead of letting him experience Bunnyburrow on his own. Since Nick proved himself worthy she wouldn't use this to take advantage of him and she had no desire to take advantage of Judy. However, she wasn't sure if Janna would react the same. This was one issue to address once Nick returned home.

Considering her desire to know Nick more as a mammal she turned on the computer to read his browser history. There wasn't anything damning to find, and the computer was only two years old. She wished he had some peculiarities rather than being someone so mundane. At least, he should be malleable.

After lunch eating lunch made from food within the fridge, she started thoroughly scent making the bedroom. There were hours to kill before Nick returned home, and she had nothing better to do due to self-imposed limits.

Nick finally returned home after his shift. She heard him sniffing the air multiple times as if he liked what he smelled. Her heart trembled with anticipation as she waited for him to open the bedroom door where she laid naked posing seductively just for him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I broke in, I made myself comfortable. We're going to be living together eventually. There's still six days before my vacation ends, I'll be staying with you. That won't be a problem, will it?"

"You didn't even ask."

"So? It's a welcome surprise. If you're upset about the window, I can pay for it. I heard you sniffing my scent as you walked in. Oh, and we need to talk about the book. That's not something a fox should have."

"If you report this I swear…"

She noticed his protective tone concerning her sibling. "Go on."

"Breaking and entering can result in jail time. All it takes is a simple report."

"Oh, don't worry, I've no intention of dying early myself or allowing the ones I care about to be killed. You might want to keep the book away from Janna because if she catches you, I think she'll report it."

If Nick sent her to jail, she was sure that multiple parties interested in her demise would kill her and several others. This was something she couldn't afford, but it was oh so fun dominating him.

"You're saying you'll be killed in prison?"

"Not exactly." She didn't want to blurt out everything about her own predicament. "Anyway, I'm going to be staying here for the remainder of my vacation. Turn me in at my own peril."

Nick sighed. "Fine, you can stay."

"What are you going to make for supper? I'm hungry."

"Are you trying to be unlikeable?"

"Is that a no?"

"Figure it out yourself and put on some clothes."

"But I like being naked."

"Not in my house."

"Make me."

"Whatever." Nick walked out of the bedroom.

She wondered how far she could go before Nick would snap at her. Although, antagonizing him for six days wasn't in her plans. Certainly, she could go further, but he was near the breaking point. It wasn't that she wanted him to lash out, but to push him to the edge.

Without putting on any clothes she moved to the kitchen to make supper for herself. Nick was there as well trying to avert his eyes to her figure.

"It's okay if you look."

"Why me?" Nick continued about his business. "I wish Judy never gave that book to me."

"Why is that?"

"Your behavior is absurd, but my conscience prevents me from turning you in due to what I know."

"Is kindness a virtue or a weakness?"

"That's it, I'm calling Judy for help."

"There's no need for that. I'll be good." She promptly put on clothes. "Happy?"

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Why is telling your littermates a bigger deal than jail time?"

"One is a moral failing for you, the other isn't. Regardless of what happens to me."

"What would your siblings do to you?"

"Knowing Janna, probably a month without the chance of seeing sunlight. I already suffered for a week before. She likely won't approve of my presence here or how I act, but since she didn't tell me no to begin with it means it's allowed." Jewel would do whatever Janna asked, but only to the letter. "Anyway, allow me to apologize by preparing your breakfast and supper for the next five days."

"I can make this work," Nick mumbled.

Jewel became much more agreeable since Nick threatened to call Judy. They ate supper prepared by themselves afterward she occupied herself by observing Nick instead of paying attention to the television he was watching.

"Are you just going to watch me?"

"Would you allow for more? I like playing with fox tails."

Nick motioned for her to proceed. She began stroking his tail much to her delight.

"Wow, your paws feel way better than Judy."

"We can do more if you want."

"I'm not comfortable with that."

"Have it your way." She started sucking on his tail after a while.

He yanked his tail away.

"Aww, you're no fun." She pouted.

They wasted a few hours watching television before Nick decided it was time to sleep.

"You can sleep on the couch," Nick said as Jewel followed him to the bedroom.

"I'm sleeping wherever you do, tattle to my littermates if you must. If you keep resisting, I'll take off my clothes."

"Don't you think there's something wrong with your behavior? We've only just met. You've broken into my house acting like you own the place."

"Go ahead and call Janna to get me to stop. Else, what sleeping positions do you want to try?" She wanted to cuddle a fox which outweighed the potential risks.

"How about this? Side by side, not touching each other."

"Fine by me." She sensed if she kept pushing it wouldn't end well for her.

It wasn't exactly cuddling a fox, but she hoped that he would end up in her embrace without her doing anything. Much to her disappointment, nothing happened to her when she woke up. As promised, she snuck out of bed to make breakfast for him.

Without knowing what he liked, she went for something simple, stylish pancakes. Much to her delight, her efforts weren't in vain when he consumed them shortly after with a smile on his face.

"Stay away from me after I shower," Nick said.

"You don't have to hide my scent."

"But I want to."

"Suit yourself."

Jewel visited Janna as soon as the hospital was open, staying there until Nick was back from work.

* * *

On Friday, Janna interrupted Jewel's routine by giving her an outrageous request.

"When you return to work, you're going to star yourself in The Toy of Predators."

Jewel struggled to hold back her tears as she heard Janna's request. "Why?"

"Figure it out for yourself. Get out of my sight."

Janna was so cold and distant whereas just yesterday they were grooming each other's fur. Regardless of what Janna demanded Jewel felt compelled to obey as she relied on her sibling to keep her in check. Janna acted as her moral compass. Jewel went through her memories of the past couple days thinking what could've possibly set Janna off with such an unreasonable demand, but she couldn't think of anything and that hurt most of all.

It wasn't a death sentence although entertaining so many predators would certainly take a toll on her body. Not that she would call herself a mammal anymore after such a shot. She returned to Nick's house to cry.

* * *

Nick's mood was grim concerning the on-going case. They still didn't find who was responsible for the savage wolf incident at the school. Everything seemed normal at first since the wolf quickly received the antidote, but day after day his mental faculties degraded until he suddenly passed away.

Although, Jewel's sudden presence in his life was a comfort despite their rocky start. She was needlessly possessive and demanding at times which the book helped explain. He kept her presence a secret from her siblings thus far, so he didn't need to deal with more drama. It could wait until the weekend rather than diverting his attention from work.

He returned home after chasing futile leads from the Petals' list of clients. The sound of sobbing filled his ears as he opened the door. Jewel was crying on his bed.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Her eyes were bloodshot from crying. She sniffed his fur several times. "Just mate with me, I want you to be my first."

As gorgeous and willing as she was, Nick felt it was wrong to take advantage of her like this. Not to mention he always envisioned that Judy would be his first. "Can you explain what happened?"

"Janna wants me to entertain multiple predators on Monday."

Nick easily read between the lines. "She's bound to a hospital bed because you broke her legs. Why do you listen to her?"

"I trust in her judgment, but I don't understand why this time. We were grooming each other's fur only yesterday. What did I do wrong? She gave me the order then told me to get out of her sight."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Change Janna's mind."

"I'm going to call Judy. She can probably help."

"She'll probably make everything worse." Jewel felt a moment of relief as Nick didn't call Judy.

"We'll talk to her tomorrow and change her mind. You won't have to do that on Monday. I promise you that."

"You actually care about me." She rubbed her face into his fur as he stroked her head.

* * *

They met Janna at the hospital hoping to change her mind. Nick questioned Janna on her motives after confirming what he knew.

"So, you think I'm being so unfair to Jewel with my requests. Fine, I'll give her a choice: I can tell you why you deserve this, or she can sign a blood contract with you which makes her your slave."

"I'll become Nick's slave," Jewel said.

"Why?" Nick asked. He didn't even want a slave, let alone a formal one.

"She knows she deserves my punishments. That's why she doesn't want me to tell you both why. Ignorance is bliss, isn't it? With a slavery contract, you can do anything to her as you see fit within Bunnyburrow and the law won't care. You might even find out what she did without my help. I can only imagine what would happen then," Janna said.

"And how will you treat her after I sign the contract?"

"Well enough to overlook this transgression mostly. You can even destroy it after it's made."

It seemed so ridiculous that their next move was to buy phlebotomy equipment to write the contract in blood. They also had to present the contract itself with their signatures to Janna to satisfy her version of justice.

"Before you destroy that, you should know that what Jewel knows she did would land her in trouble already. I'm satisfied though," Janna said. "The truth can be oh so terrifying."

This alone made Nick stay his paw. They left the hospital shortly after with Nick keeping the contract they recently created. It wasn't elaborate by any means. The contract denoted the slavery of Jewel with both their signatures in blood.

"Judy, what are you doing here?" Nick asked after arriving home.

"I wanted to pay my favorite fox a surprise visit. I made lunch and everything. Why's Jewel with you?"

"Nick made me his slave for life after I told him I needed a place to stay for six days. I already signed the contract," Jewel cried.

Judy blinked several times. "Nick wouldn't do that. Alright, Nick, explain what happened."

He explained everything to the best of his abilities including how she broke into his house and blackmailed him.

"Jewel, why did you lie?"

"I wanted to test you, and you passed!" Jewel grinned.

"Nick, I'm so sorry you had to put up with her. I'll take care of her from now on as that's no way to act. If my littermates give you trouble, you can count on me."

"You won't do anything too drastic to her, will you? She believes Janna would limit her from seeing sunlight for a month. I know she broke in, but I don't want that to happen to her." Nick explained why he did what he did. "So, I remained silent and if I revealed it to you during the work week, it'll likely distract us too much to focus on the recent case. We still don't have a clue of who did it and the wolf passed away shortly after receiving the antidote for Night Howlers."

"Bellwether's back again?" Jewel's ears shot up instantly. Nick knew that Judy did that when something excited her. "I can try pulling some strings to make her disappear."

"She's innocent as far as we can tell and has been very cooperative," Judy said.

Jewel's ears wilted as soon as Judy vouched for Bellwether's innocence.

Nick noted that Jewel casually suggested killing Bellwether without batting an eye.

"Judy, shouldn't you ask Nick to rip up the slavery contract?"

"After what you so casually suggested? I hope he doesn't."

"Upstanding officer of the law who gives away classified information and upholds slavery. I thought better of you." Jewel pointed out what Judy did so far. Judy's body tensed as her sister laid out the charges until she added, "Don't worry, I've no intention of turning you in because you are my littermate. You want the contract to stay because you are afraid of me. Before I leave for Bunnyburrow, I will destroy the book, so Janna can't lay a claw on you."

"You chose this when the truth would set you free. Janna offered to explain herself when you confronted her."

"Her actions have always been fair, why would it be any different this time? I'm better off not knowing and hoping when I learn, I won't feel guilty over my own actions. She perceives slavery as an equivalent punishment." Jewel turned towards Nick. "Even though the contract allows you to do anything to me within Bunnyburrow, don't expect me to cater to your every whim."

"So, what did you do in Zootopia? Janna did say that should trouble me enough." Nick's desire for the truth was one reason why he didn't shred the contract after they showed it to Janna.

"Minor things like breaking the law. We did misuse police services, there's also the breaking and entering part that Janna doesn't know about. Nothing you should concern yourself with."

Nick narrowed his eyes. "Is that all?"

"Guess I'm your slave and can only hope that you're a benevolent master since in Bunnyburrow I will have no legal recourse. I'm leaving for Bunnyburrow in two days. You could follow me." She blinked seductively several times.

* * *

 **A/N: Jewel chose slavery rather than hearing Janna explain herself. Did Nick fold too easily given everything he knows?**


	7. Wanton Cruelty

**A/N: Minor edits made to chapters 5 and 6.**

 **Chapter 7: Wanton Cruelty**

* * *

A bit over a week passed since Jewel and Janna set off to confront the bad fox with mystical powers since he was immune to Fox Away. There was obviously something sketchy about him since Judy hid that from her even more so since he defied the laws of reality. Jill couldn't imagine her sister wanting to court a fox. Especially since she witnessed the breaking of Gideon Grey. There was only so much torment someone could take before they became an obedient slave. He suffered every single day until his will broke down all because he crossed Judy in his youth.

Jewel returned from Zootopia alone without anyone late at night on Monday. Jill hoped nothing happened to Janna but didn't have the courage to inquire directly. Her sibling walked into her room forcing her to interact.

"How was Zootopia?" Jill asked. She knew Jewel was dangerous since she relished in sadism and torture. Someone else's pain was her joy.

"The fox passed the test to become a toy!" Jewel exclaimed with glee. "Judy's got good taste."

No one deserved to suffer the fate Gideon did. Not even a dangerous fox. Witnessing the breaking of someone else's will once was enough, she couldn't let it happen a second time. There wasn't much she could do other than wait for the vote when they began courting the fox officially.

"Where is he now?"

"In Zootopia, unfortunately, my vacation ended before I could persuade him to follow me home." Jewel's face twisted into a terrifying grin. "Work was boring today, I think you should help make tomorrow entertaining by coming to work with me."

"Is there anything else I can do?" Jill pleaded. She had to follow her sibling's wishes to the letter as that was the law. It certainly didn't help that her siblings would enforce Jewel's will because it gave them an excuse to be cruel.

"Why don't you crawl to Zootopia for safety? No one will stop me if you remain here." She flashed the crescent moon amulet. "I want a photo of you with my fox before I will allow you to live here again. That should be equally entertaining. Actually, scratch that, that would be too easy, but it's a start."

"I have a job on the farm." She had a suspicion what Jewel wanted wouldn't be innocent at all or pleasant thus she tried to appeal to her sense of pity.

"Ah yes, the family business. Not my problem. How many days can you scream before your voice runs dry? I always wanted to find out."

"Father's going to take away all my money and I'll have nothing."

The patriarch of the family controlled the family business and the finances of everyone that worked in it. Jill owned effectively nothing because everything was communal property. Her discretionary funds were minimal at best.

Jewel didn't care at all about her plight. "Again, not my problem. If you remain here tomorrow, I will turn you into a toy. I have several ideas in mind involving predators and you. Can you even survive a single hunt?"

"You came into my room just to force me out of the farm?" Tears blurred her vision. Her sibling was cruel towards her in short bursts before begging for forgiveness from the heart. This was unusual even for her.

"Sounds about right." Jewel ripped pages out of the books in the room. "Everything here is mine now too. I'm going to destroy it all." She held a few photos in her paw that showed happier times. "These really mattered to you, didn't they? Well, it's gone now." Within a few seconds, the photos became nothing more than smithereens as she tore them to bits.

"Why are you doing this?" Jill sobbed.

"Because I want to, and you can't stop me. No one will help you either." Jewel launched the laptop into the air. The laptop remained functional. "Odd, it refuses to break. Who knew? Oh, it still turns on still!" She tossed the laptop a few more times into the air, each time she was surprised that it still functioned.

Jill used the opportunity to reach for the cash she stored in the room only for Jewel to take it away while only letting her keep a single twenty. She ripped the bills she took into shreds before her very eyes while cackling like a madmammal.

Jewel noticed her efforts to secure her cell phone, so she threatened to break her paw as she took her cell phone away before smashing it on to the ground. "Why does this still function? Argh!"

There was nothing to gain by staying in her room, so she ran away from home just like Jewel wanted. Her only saving grace was that she secured enough money to pay for a train ticket to Zootopia. She was only alive because Jewel willed it. It was midnight by the time she arrived.

She knew where Judy lived but not how to get there so she asked random mammals for directions despite her reluctance. It took her thirty minutes to arrive after following directions from multiple citizens. Unfortunately, Judy didn't answer when she used the apartment's intercom. Her desperation led to her to dial random strangers just for a chance of entry while explaining that she was Judy's sister needing a place to stay.

Thankfully, the apartment door opened letting her inside. She bumped into Judy before reaching her room.

"Jill, what happened?"

"Jewel kicked me out of the farm. She threatened me… I have nothing to my name anymore." She cried into her sister's fur.

"It's going to be okay." Judy led her to her tiny apartment. "We'll talk tomorrow."

"Okay." Jill gave in. The last thing she wanted was to piss off her sister and gracious host.

Judy offered her own bed to her littermate who insisted that they would share. She covered her sibling with her own body before covering them both with a blanket.

* * *

She noticed that Judy was gone when she woke up with only a note to explain her absence. "I have work and didn't want to wake you." There wasn't much she could do without any money or access to cell phones, so she spent the entire day waiting for Judy to return. Her only source of entertainment was the radio.

Judy finally returned home from work it was only then they had the chance to chat about everything that happened.

"Judy, you're back!" She embraced her sibling. "I spent the entire day here waiting for you to return."

"What happened?"

Jill explained everything to the best of her ability. She tried to guess at Jewel's motives but couldn't fathom a reasonable explanation for her behavior.

"I'll talk to her." Judy called Jewel, "Please explain why you did what you did to Jill." Jill continued hearing the one-sided conversation. "What the heck is wrong with you?" Judy tossed the phone on to the bed after that exchange. "I can't believe her. First, she breaks Janna's legs, then she exiles you from home. Well, at least, Nick has a blood contract with her, making her his slave. Jewel wants you to take a photo with Nick and then she might let you live at home again."

Jill learned that Janna was alive, but with her legs broken. "I've a feeling it's going to involve much more than just that. She was destroying everything in my room with glee when I left. Even if I go back, I'll have nothing. Why would she do all that when she signed a slave contract with Nick?"

Judy shrugged. "We'll go over to Nick's place after supper and hopefully smooth everything out."

"He won't hurt me, will he? He's a fox. There was nowhere else for me to go."

"Of course, he won't. I shouldn't have tried to hide that he was a fox from you and setting the meeting up in a place without any foxes or rabbits. Everything is my fault."

"It isn't." Jill tried to comfort her sister. "You're not responsible for how Jewel acted."

After eating supper, they drove to Nick's house after giving him a brief call to tell him they were coming. Nick opened the door with a grim expression. "Something happened, hasn't it?"

"Jewel seems to have gone off the deep end," Judy said. "Jill's effectively homeless."

Jill hid behind Judy even as they stood near the doorway. "He won't hurt me, will he?"

"You're the one Judy tried to set me up with then you drove away without even saying a word." Nick towered over her. "It'll be okay."

"It's going to take a while to explain."

Nick stepped aside allowing them to enter. They entered the house slowly because Jill hid behind Judy every step of the way, afraid of what Nick might do. The very scent in the air made her terrified since it smelled of fox.

"So, what happened?"

Judy explained everything as best as she could. Jewel's demands right now were a simple picture of him and Jill together.

"We're just going to do what she asks? Have you noticed the sheer terror your littermate is experiencing?"

"A picture isn't much to ask, better than antagonizing her. Besides, she's going to be your future mate anyway."

Jill fought against her instincts to take a photo with Nick. The moment Judy snapped the picture, Jill cowered behind her sister once more. She sent the photo of her and Nick to Jewel. A few minutes passed without a single reply.

"Look, Jill, if there something I can do to make you feel comfortable, you just need to ask," Nick said.

"I've seen rabbits eaten alive by foxes over and over. Foxes are dangerous."

"Eaten … alive."

Her cell phone rang. She gasped in horror as she saw the contents of Jewel's reply. It contained a very lewd request. "I don't want to do that." Her shaky paw tossed the cell phone halfway to Nick. "I can't."

"What the heck is wrong with her? How does she remotely think that this is a reasonable request? That's it, I'm calling her, using the contract." Nick promptly called Jewel to give him a piece of his mind. "Alright, your requests are ridiculous. We're done playing your game." He placed his cell phone on speaker.

"I'm aware that I'm being unreasonable. You'll have to discipline me yourself. Does that mean you're coming to Bunnyburrow?"

"Does the contract mean nothing?"

"You're in no position to enforce it. I don't want her living here, so she won't unless if she passes all my tests. Good day, Nick, if none of you have any other concerns."

"Why are you doing this?" Judy whispered.

"Because I want to. I'll make my demand easier by a bit if Jill still wants me to consider her my sibling, she can simply stay at Nick's house to prevent further complications. Anyway, is that all?"

"What would Janna think?" Nick asked.

"Not even Janna can change my mind. I have work tomorrow, bye."

Jill cried, "So, I need to live here now." She held on to the hope that her relationship with Jewel could be mended. Judy stayed with her for her first night of sleep in a fox's home. The comforting scent of her sister dulled the hostile scent of fox. They slept on his bed while Nick took the couch without complaint.

* * *

They left to visit Janna early in the morning as soon as the hospital opened. It was an important enough of a crisis for Judy and Nick to inform their boss that they would be late due to a family emergency. Janna was livid when she heard about Jewel's behavior. "Let me talk some sense into her. If I was able to move, I would pound it into her myself. That's not an acceptable way to act at all."

Janna called Jewel, "Explain yourself!"

"Ah, there it is. Well, I did what I wanted because I want to. It's entertaining. Do you have any more complaints?"

Upon hearing Jewel's response, Janna's face contorted with rage. "You're going to let Jill come back home and apologize to her when she arrives. I also want a video demonstrating your sincerity. It will also not happen again."

"I don't think so. Have you forgotten that I outrank you? My rank gives me the privilege to do many things. You're going to come back to Bunnyburrow when your legs are healed then we're not going to talk about Jill again. Bye, I'm working right now."

"Unbelievable! She talked like that to me! Who does she think she is?" She sighed. "Jill, take my credit card and spend no more than a hundred a day on living expenses. Jewel's responsible for you living in Zootopia. She might as well help pay for your expenses. You'll work for me as a secretary once I'm able to move my legs."

"A hundred is more than what I made in a month back on the farm. Is there a catch and won't she be angry?"

"Let me deal with Jewel."

"Jill's terrified of foxes. She shouldn't be living in Nick's house," Judy said.

"Wrong, she needs to get used to our future mate."

"Isn't there a time and place for that?"

"Better off starting now, especially since Jewel wanted it."

They drove Jill to Nick's house before leaving her to her own devices. She was beyond grateful for the hospitality she received from her sisters and from Nick. It made her feel guilty that she was the reason the events were set in motion in the first place. Nick happened to be resistant to Fox Away thus she turned to her sisters for help, but he was better than some rabbits she knew in her life.

She wasn't used to the scent that permeated the home even though Nick wasn't there. Despite the house being empty, her senses were hyperaware for danger. Sounds from the street sometimes made her jump in the air out of fright.

It certainly didn't get any better when Nick returned home. He was a dangerous fox that she had to live with because her sisters wanted to court him. Judy wasn't even there to protect her this time.

"You're not going to eat me, are you?" Her voice quivered with every word.

"Of course, I am."

She closed her eyes, waiting for the end. Her heart thumped as she heard his paw steps approach. A growl escaped his mouth. He was close, very close. His tongue licked her ear. "Hm, not bad."

"I'm still alive, unharmed, still alive," she muttered to herself.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. How does it feel?"

"It feels pretty nice."

He continued licking her ear sending shivers down her spine. She enjoyed the sensations until he decided to stop.

"What made you decide to prey on me?"

"You don't need to fear me, and this is my house. What better way to prove a point?'

She decided to take a shower to wash his scent off her. The rest of the day she was more at ease in his presence but still decided to avoid him as much as possible. He slept on the couch while offering her the bed.

With each passing day, she felt less apprehensive towards Nick while still avoiding his presence as much as possible. Jewel refused to leave her alone as she sent a box to his house two days later with her messenger only ringing the doorbell before scampering off. The box contained a shock collar and a remote. She felt fear when she read the note. "Break him, like I broke Gideon Grey. Show him the contents at very least. I want to see him collared. Destroy this note."

There was no way she was going to do what Jewel asked. She grudgingly accepted the breaking of Gideon Grey back then, but she wasn't going to do that to Nick. It was far too cruel. Her sister should know that was one of the lines she wouldn't cross.

She showed Nick the contents of the box and what it contained.

He said, "A collar means nothing if you don't use it. It gives the appearance of satisfying her."

"I only showed you the contents because I felt like it was the right thing to do. There's no way I'm going to collar you because she demanded it, much less use it."

"Who's Gideon?"

"A fox that crossed Judy when she was nine. Jewel and Janna broke his will until he became an obedient baker just for them. There was nothing left of his original personality. He scratched Judy's left cheek, but I don't think he deserved all that."

"Doesn't my slave contract with her mean anything?" Nick called Jewel, "Is there something I can do to stop you?"

"You asked this before, what makes you think the answer will change? I'll humor your request, Janna knows enforcers, but are you brave enough to use those? No, you're not. Kindness is a weakness. It went just as I predicted. Freedom is only an illusion."

"Do you want something to happen?"

"You play with toys to have fun." Jewel hung up.

Jill stayed silent during the exchange until it was over. "She knew it would fail, but still did it anyway and she revealed you could essentially end her life with just a command. The same power she had over us ever since her ascension."

"What will it take for your littermate to be reasonable?"

"I wish I knew."

Jill adjusted to life in Zootopia over the next two weeks as Janna was still hospital bound, but she started practicing with her crutches for exercise. She was there to help her every step of the way, waiting for the day she would move on her own again. Jewel made no more ludicrous demands or any contact with them. Just as she avoided them, they avoided her.

Nick's presence seemed less terrifying compared to when she first saw him, but it still made her feel fear. She wasn't too comfortable around him, but her desire to escape became less and less. Even though Janna allotted her a hundred a day for living expenses, she barely spent any because it was far more than what she was used to.

On the weekend, Jill worked up the courage to ask Nick a question that lingered on her mind ever since they first met. "How come you didn't vanish when I used Fox Away?"

Nick laughed, making her run back to the bedroom. He followed her, much to her terror. "Silly bunny, that's standard pepper spray. It only works on the eyes. You've been hustled by clever marketing. Don't suppose you have anything else humorous to share?" With a jump, he dove on to the bed,

She took several breaths in quick succession while backing away. "You're too close."

"Aw." He gave her some distance despite how far apart they already were.

"I'm still afraid of you. It comes and goes."

"I know. It's kind of cute that sometimes you retreat to the bedroom when I turn my head, while other times you're fine sitting next to me while we watch television."

She covered her eyes with her ears. "I'm sorry."

He used his paw to ruffle her head. "It's okay."

"I should be running away, but this feels nice."

The next week, she began working as a secretary for Janna. She wasn't paid but didn't complain as Janna was paying for all her living expenses anyway. It was still working for her family, but it was far better than working for her father on the farm.

Her life here in Zootopia was an improvement compared to living at the farm with nearly nothing to her name. She had more now compared to what she had before her exile. Living with Nick became less and less of an issue. It was something that she could avoid if she tried probably, but it didn't feel right to ask Janna to grant her another place to live.

Jewel was out of her mind until she reappeared on the day of their birthday as they convened in Nick's house to celebrate. She wore a white coat lined with white fur with four white rabbit ears affixed to the collar roll. Her black fur lost its usual sheen. "Janna, stop ignoring me!" she exclaimed. "What will it take for you to come back to Bunnyburrow? I need you."

* * *

 **A/N: Electronics are surprisingly resilient.**


	8. Party

**Chapter 8: Party**

* * *

Janna felt worried ever since Jill had to remain in Zootopia. They hadn't formally begun the courtship process yet. She knew Judy planned to formally induct Nick in the ways of Bunnyburrow in the summer, but it was too far away especially if she considered Jewel's actions.

Jewel's life hung by a thread ever since she made the agreement with the industry. There were multiple parties desperately interested in her demise if she ever gave them the chance. Rabbits adhered to blood contracts above all else. She didn't know the precise details or why the deal was made but Jewel had to kill one mammal every single day or she would be next. It was her duty to support her sibling. The industry gave her points based on her performance. If her victims screamed long enough, that mammal counted as two. Of course, killing innocents was still against the law. They had to entice citizens to commit crimes before they had the authorization to torture.

Her sister brazenly disobeyed her when she requested a simple apology from her due to how she acted toward Jill. This was troubling because her sister never disobeyed her before. She thought she understood why her sister acted cruelly towards Jill. It was a desire for punishment since her job required her to torture others just to stay alive. That's how it was in the past until now. The initial courtship date was too far away.

There was an opportunity during spring break to rush things along. The industry also might abduct them if they suspected deviation from the sacred traditions and that would be far from pleasant assuming they ever saw daylight again. With that in mind, she approached Nick and Judy at Judy's apartment, away from Jill who currently lived in Nick's house. "I want to begin the courting process when spring break starts after our birthday party. That's two weeks from now."

"But why?" Nick stammered.

"Jewel's acting peculiar as of late. We also might run afoul of Bunnyburrow traditions by staying in Zootopia for so long without being engaged. Bunnyburrow goes to extreme lengths to enforce its traditions."

"I don't want to become addicted to rabbit by just going there. I was hoping to avoid it entirely. Your family's far from sane."

Nick's confession made things easier for her. She wouldn't need to explain the intricacies of Bunnyburrow to him. "Well, I don't suppose you have a friend that can deliver you food while in Bunnyburrow? Your fears are well-founded, but I don't know how you pieced it all together. I don't suppose you can give me any names or sources?" She licked her lips. "It would make my life easier."

"Finnick can, I suppose. As for sources, no one comes to mind, sorry."

"Contact Finnick now and make sure it's okay." Janna wanted to make sure that Nick wouldn't starve during their trip to Bunnyburrow. She didn't him to become a rabbit crazed addict.

They waited patiently while Nick tried to bribe Finnick into delivering food to him daily. He disclosed as little as possible regarding Bunnyburrow and its traditions. It took some haggling before Finnick agreed to a relatively exorbitant fee. Two-hundred bucks a day as well as costs for any food he had to purchase.

After that matter was settled, Judy voiced her concerns, "Isn't spring break kind of rushing it?"

"You want to remain there for longer than needed? It was only because of us that you got to pursue your dreams." Janna glared at her sister. "I know what Bunnyburrow is capable of. The sooner we're legally compliant the better."

"What if it all goes wrong?"

"Hasn't it already? Jewel exiled Jill from Bunnyburrow. That wasn't in my plans at all." Janna didn't understand why Jewel acted in this way. "Originally, Jewel and I planned to test Nick and go back to Bunnyburrow once he passed, and well, things happened. You wanted to court a fox while keeping his species hidden from Jill on a blind date that you set up. I just want to make the best of things."

Nick and Judy reluctantly requested spring break off from their boss. Chief Bogo was more than happy to grant their request much to their surprise.

Janna left Judy's apartment after securing their pledge to visit Bunnyburrow when spring break starts. It was easier than she anticipated. She stayed in a modest hotel during her extended stay. Throughout the remaining two weeks she tried to ferret out fox secrets while employing Jill as a secretary.

Her efforts weren't exactly successful in that regard despite showing undue kindness towards foxes that approached her. She could outright ask Nick, but that would feel awkward as he should decline to share the customs of his own species with her. The commonality she found was foxes were poor. None of them had the means to pay for a parking ticket.

* * *

Jewel showed up to their birthday party striking an apologetic tone much to her surprise and relief. By her calculations, her sister was already out of points, but it seemed that since she was alive, she milked the remaining lives for all their worth. "Janna, stop ignoring me!" she exclaimed. "What will it take for you to come back to Bunnyburrow? I need you."

"Let Jewel in despite everything she's done," Janna said. Nick stepped aside allowing her entry into his house. She smacked her sister's left cheek when she saw her sister's gruesome attire. There were four rabbit ears affixed to the back of her coat. "How dare you play with your own life?"

She figured the ears belonged to their defeated opponents. No doubt such a wager was fraught with risks. Her sister risked her own life needlessly even though she won. It was so unnecessary even though the result was in their favor.

"You never responded to my messages," Jewel said.

"That's no excuse! You could have died all because of a stupid gamble."

"How can I apologize? I need you, and you know why."

"Let Jill go back to Bunnyburrow for one, apologize to her for two, and explain yourself for three. We're also moving the courtship process to spring break which means after today."

"Are you out of your mind?" both Jewel and Jill echoed at once.

Janna explained, "Judy and our future mate approved. That's all that matters. Besides, once we go through the process, Bunnyburrow won't abduct us."

"Jill's going to stay away from Bunnyburrow when we walk down those halls, then we're going to charge her for violating sacred traditions after which I'll sacrifice her to the industry. She's too afraid of foxes to come, how unfortunate." Jewel smiled.

"What the heck is wrong with you?" Janna smacked her sister. "Have you gone insane? We do not betray each other."

"It's a perfect plan. It gives me nearly everything that I wanted. If she comes back to Bunnyburrow something unfortunate might happen to her."

Nick lifted Jewel up into the air with his claws around her throat. "Care to explain yourself? Slave?"

Jewel fidgeted enough for a covert listening device to drop on to the floor from her coat. "Take it easy, Nick, we don't know how much of her actions are her own." Janna's anger dissipated as she thought the industry blackmailed Jewel into compliance like they always had.

"Everything's my idea. Kill me and condemn two others to death," Jewel said as Nick loosened his grip around her throat, slowly lowering her to the ground. Jewel reclaimed the covert listening device.

"Is there a way you'll permit Jill to take part in the courtship process?"

"I thought you'd never ask. She'll act like a domesticated animal throughout the entire thing. A pet for us all. That'll be equally entertaining. I'm doing this because I want to."

What Jewel wanted was extremely cruel towards Jill. Pets were normally predators which Bunnyburrow kept alive for entertainment. They suffered barbaric punishments for slight disobedience. A single lapse sometimes brought them near death. It was extremely humiliating for the mammal involved. The only reason mammals even cooperated was due to blackmail or fear of death.

"There's no way Jill will do that." Nick's fur bristled.

"Kill me then," Jewel said.

"I will do what you ask," Jill said even though tears flooded her eyes.

"You don't have to do that." Judy placed a comforting paw on Jill's shoulder.

"Don't I? I don't want Jewel gone, and I need to be there in Bunnyburrow for this. There is no other way."

"Cheer up, I'll get the most painful shock collar they have just for you. It won't be that bad." Jewel grinned wickedly. "It'll be quite painful if say anything that's prohibited. I'm finally going to get what I want."

"I really don't feel comfortable with all this," Nick said. "All of this is just insane. If Bunnyburrow doesn't tear us apart, Jewel will. Not to mention, Jill's likely going to be traumatized for life."

"How's this offer then? I'll stay away from Bunnyburrow during the courtship process. Jill won't need to do any of that then."

One by one, they all disapproved of Jewel's plan, until Nick was the only one left. "Can't you just be reasonable? They care for you! You heartless bunny."

"If I wanted them dead, they would've died long ago. So, Nick, will you come to Bunnyburrow with us or call everything off? It's your choice."

"Fine." Nick gritted his teeth.

"Thank you." Judy embraced him. "This means so much to me. I'm well aware that Jewel's being unreasonable, I just wish I knew why. We won't let her be cruel towards you. You'll always have a choice."

Janna felt relieved since Nick agreed to go along to Bunnyburrow with them. "I will support you too, Nick."

"Don't you care about our future mate?" Jewel placed her paw on Jill's cheek. "No, you don't even want to be here. You want to be far, far away. Unacceptable." She struck Jill's cheek causing her to cry. Her head turned towards Nick. "I know you hate me right now, likely quivering with rage, but I do want us to have a future together. You'll understand when the time is right."

"It's really low of you, Jewel, to take advantage of the fact that we don't want you dead," Janna said.

"I'm aware of my actions. Will there be consequences? Maybe. Is what I do necessary? Absolutely. It's what I've always done, what I must for the ones I value most." Jewel hopped on top of Nick. "Nick, since you're still going through with this, you'll need to abstain from eating anything directly from Bunnyburrow. If you have a trusted friend, a friend can bring you food else starvation is better than falling into Bunnyburrow's schemes. Anyway, enough business, let's enjoy our birthday party." She casually hopped off Nick.

They spent the next hour grooming each other's fur with Nick remaining distant and aloof. He kept his distance despite the rabbits acting normal towards one another just moments before. It was as if the rabbits flipped a switch with all impending grievances forgotten and forgiven.

"What can we do to cheer you up?" Judy said.

"I just want a functional family, without all this. You're all accommodating Jewel."

"Because even though she acts this way, I don't want her gone. Even though I'm still scared of you, I want my siblings to be happy, and to be alive. Jewel has her reasons I'm sure," Jill said.

Jewel certainly didn't help matters when she decided to open her mouth. "It's because I want to. There's no way Nick will satisfy all four of us. It's better if we remove Jill from the equation."

"Considering, I hate you the most, right now. What makes you so confident that I will even mate with you?"

"No one resists my charms for long. I break them if they don't fall in line. Janna and Jill watched as I trained Gideon to be obedient. He's far better now compared to before. You should really end me once we get to Bunnyburrow before it's too late."

Janna decided that enough was enough. She used a scarf in the house to gag Jewel. "I don't know, I don't care what made you think all of this is a good idea, but you've lost your speaking privileges for the day. I'm sure you have a reason to be so cryptic. This will not be removed by yourself." She addressed Nick, "I'm so sorry about all this."

Jewel became docile with her mouth gagged. She didn't try to remove the scarf even though she very well could. They played pin the tail on the fox with Jewel not even having the option to participate.

"Fake tails?" Nick glanced at these props.

"Yep, if it was Bunnyburrow, we'd be using real ones." Janna wanted to unveil more of Bunnyburrow's culture to Nick without outright traumatizing him. "Fox tails are quite comfortable."

Nick placed some distance between himself and the players. They blindfolded the player before giving her a fox tail. Janna went first. She took ten seconds to succeed sticking it on to the very end of his tail.

Judy missed her mark completely by sticking it on Nick's chin.

Jill lost her courage and ran into the wall instead causing her sisters to gather around her, Jewel included.

Jewel removed her gag. "See? This is why she's going to act as a pet during our trip to Bunnyburrow."

Nick gasped at the sudden brutality from Janna. She slapped Jewel's cheek multiple times until tears came out of her eyes. "You don't take the gag off. I trust we won't have any more incidents."

"You just did that to your sister."

"And she deserves it. You can do it too. You're her master, might as well act like it." She believed she had to be harsh for Jewel to learn.

"I'm not cruel like you."

"It's not cruelty, it's necessity."

"Is there something you're not telling me? How can any of this be necessary?"

She wasn't comfortable revealing her knowledge of Jewel's profession. Her hope was that she'd maneuver Jewel away from that job without revealing to Nick what Jewel did for a living. They signed their lives away so long ago to allow Judy to pursue her dreams.

Soon enough, they ordered take-out for lunch. It was only by Nick's grace that Jewel could eat. He removed the gag from Jewel's mouth even though no one else would. To Jewel's credit, she remained silent after she ate even though she wasn't gagged. At most, she groomed her siblings.

"I don't understand you," Nick said after an hour of good behavior from Jewel.

"No, you don't. Words are only a means to an end, it's actions that matter more."

"Even I don't understand why you're acting this way." Janna thought she understood her sibling the best.

"All your actions thus far have come within my predictions. Everyone is a puppet that dances to my will. Seeing as I'm free to talk at the moment: I won't antagonize anyone else for the rest of the day." She started licking Janna's fur. "These stakes are higher than anything I've risked yet, but so are the rewards and it will be worth it."

"And what if something goes wrong?"

"Then it was never meant to be. Play your parts and I'll play mine." She turned towards Nick. "Do I need to arrange suitable meals for you during our stay in Bunnyburrow?"

"I have that covered," Nick replied.

"Well, at least my siblings aren't completely senseless. That's good to hear. Anyway, I'll be leaving for a while to buy something. See you all in thirty minutes." Jewel walked out of the house.

"I'm worried," Jill said. "What if I can't go through with Jewel's demands?"

No one had an answer to her worries. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Nick asked.

"I don't want this to permanently change our relationship. Would you view me as less of a mammal after this?"

"It's Jewel's fault to begin with, not yours. I'm worried more about if you'll make it out alive or sane, and you consider her family."

Jewel returned to the house thirty minutes later just like she said. She brought an oversized cage much to everyone's horror. "This will be Jill's carrier when we leave for Bunnyburrow. I've purchased all the accessories necessary that crossed my mind. There will be consequences if she acts out of line. If there's anything else I should bring to improve Jill's chances of success, tell me now. The cost doesn't matter to me at all."

"What about rewards?" Nick asked.

"You're right of course. Once she's out of Bunnyburrow, her life will improve drastically. We'll also treat her well if she behaves by equal measure, I expect everyone to discipline her if she steps out of line. Jill will officially start her role as a pet when we leave for Bunnyburrow."

"I'm not cruel enough to do that."

"Then you'll never be alone with Jill during our stay. Everything she does will be recorded for possible use in a film. She's not suffering needlessly."

There were no more arguments concerning the upcoming trip to Bunnyburrow just grim acceptance. They all comforted Jill as best as they could before tomorrow came. When they finally had cake denoting their twenty-sixth birthday, Jill ate as much as possible savoring every bite.

They spent the rest of the day enjoying each other's company despite what tomorrow would bring. Jill recounted her life story as if she wouldn't have a chance after today.

"Should I be hostile to your parents?" Nick asked.

"Don't antagonize them," Jewel said.

"As long as they act like decent mammals."

Janna was restless when it was time for bed. Numerous questions floated in her mind. She had no answers, so she stared at the ceiling as the clock ticked with each passing second. Despite not doing anything wrong, she felt like she provoked Jewel into action as if everything was her fault.

The reality of Jewel's demands set in as they prepared to leave for Bunnyburrow. Jewel stripped Jill naked while putting a shock collar and a camera on her. Jill tried to speak, so Jewel pressed the remote until she cried.

"Don't do that again."

Jill uttered a single word, "But."

That was enough for another round of merciless shocks. Without wasting any time, Jewel gagged Jill for the journey ahead. She coaxed Jill into the carrier before closing it.

It took every ounce of self-control for Janna not to strangle her own Jewel. She wasn't the only one as everyone else's fur also bristled. Jewel's own fur remained smooth as if she was in her element.

* * *

 **A/N: Jewel threatens her own life to get others to cave into her demands.**

 **I'm dissatisfied with the summary. I feel like it could be better.**


	9. Compassion

**Chapter 9: Compassion**

* * *

They decided to head to Bunnyburrow early in the morning. Nick thought that sitting in the front would ease his mind except he caught a glimpse of Jill's miserable form within the cage before he entered the car. Every whimper she made stabbed at his heart despite the fact that he couldn't see her. The commotion at the back of the car did not help.

"Jewel, why did you shock Jill?" Janna asked icily.

"Because she was making too much noise."

"You've let power go to your head. That's not one of the infractions. We're going to the toy store and I'm getting you a matching collar. Whenever Jill's shocked, you will be too."

Nick turned on the music to drown out the sound of Jill's whimpers, but they were still loud enough for him to hear so he focused on the scenery to ease his mind.

"Is that number of real?" He saw the ever-increasing number of inhabitants.

"Unfortunately," Janna said.

Janna directed Judy towards a toy store. The store's exterior was just like the ones found in Zootopia. Every toy store had its own forbidden section, toys that were on the verge of illegal but remained for the sake of tradition. Muzzles, collars, and leashes were seen as toys back when predators still ate prey.

"Both of you stay in here; we won't be long." Janna stepped out of the car with Jewel. They also allowed Jill out of the carrier who tried to instinctively stand once free from that cramped position. One corrective shock was all it took for Jill to resume walking on all fours while whimpering in misery as much as her gag allowed.

It only took twenty minutes for them to step out of the shop. Jewel's ears were pointed downwards as she walked back to the car while sporting a new collar. Jill reluctantly got back into the carrier once more before they drove towards the Hopps' family farm.

Their car arrived at the farm, but the rabbits continued about their business as if they didn't matter. Multiple kits ran around the fields with abandon while older rabbits kept a watchful eye on them.

A young rabbit of about eight years old dashed towards them. "Jewel, can I play with your new pet?"

Janna answered for her, "No."

"Can you shock her for me then?"

Jewel shook her head as well. She flashed her crescent moon amulet making the young rabbit run away in fear.

Nick's heart ached at seeing cruelty from such a young rabbit. It was not lost on him that Jill would be completely naked throughout their stay in full view of the kits. Mystic Spring Oasis was one thing, but he thought that kits shouldn't be exposed to this. The rabbits obviously didn't care, nor did they avert their eyes at their now naked sibling.

Jewel leaned towards his ear. "We need to talk alone, please." Her voice was on the verge of outright pleading which contrasted her normal demanding attitude.

He gave her a quick nod as they walked towards the farm. Before they reached the door, multiple rabbits came out to greet them.

"Hi, Mom, hi, Dad," Judy embraced her parents.

They returned her affection. Nick couldn't detect any animosity between them much to his surprise. He knew her father put her through so much enough to make him feel hate.

"Who's responsible for the pet? Make sure she behaves."

Nick clenched his fists as anger clouded his mind. He witnessed Stu callously approve what had become of Jill.

"Father, this reunion is nice and all, but I've got a fox pelt to prepare. Come with me." Jewel tugged on Nick's tie, beckoning for him to follow her into the building. They passed a myriad of passages that failed to captivate his interest before ultimately reaching her room. "First, you need to know that you're not safe until we officially start the courtship process. If they think we're planning to court you, it won't end well and second, what can I offer you to take my shock collar off?"

Nick glanced around the room which had multiple portraits of heads, hung on the walls. They all had a name, and a timespan which Nick figured was their age but other than that, there was nothing in common. Some were old, some were young, there both predators and prey. "Why do you have these photos up on the wall?"

"Search on the internet yourself. Is there any way I can persuade you to remove my collar? I need this, but I'm too prideful to persuade Janna. You're my master, and I know the collar isn't good for my sanity."

"You turned Jill into a pet."

"I know."

"Don't you care about her sanity?"

"Of course, I do. It's just… I don't see a better way. You don't know Bunnyburrow as I do. The difference is her role is necessary, while mine is a punishment."

"What can you offer? You're already my slave without any legal recourse."

Jewel wasted no time listing things one after another to the point that Nick asked her to slow down. He wasn't ready to absorb such rapid-fire information. All in all, there was nothing that Jewel offered aside from her promise to not discipline Jill herself. She was willing to be tortured or taken advantage of by him just to avoid wearing a shock collar.

"Thank you," she said.

Judy and her other littermates finally made their way to Jewel's room as Nick and Jewel were about to leave.

"Why have you removed your collar?" Janna asked icily.

Jill growled aggressively as if threatening to bite.

"He gave me permission," Jewel replied.

"What did you get in return?" Janna asked Nick.

"She's not going to shock Jill herself anymore."

"That's it?" Her blue eyes glared at him with fury as if he did something unforgivable. "Even I thought you'd come up with better terms than that!"

"She's already my slave. There's not much she could offer." He didn't feel comfortable revealing that Jewel indeed offered him anything she thought was a better alternative in graphic detail. If anything, she was too descriptive about how she would suffer.

"Fine," Janna huffed. She turned her head towards Jewel with her blue eyes piercing her soul. "The moment you shock Jill for any reason, I will make sure you regret being alive."

"I wouldn't break that rule as long as Jill's properly punished for her transgressions," Jewel said.

"Anyway, Jewel needs to go to work, and I need to help her so the task of watching of Jill falls to Judy."

"I don't think I can." Judy wept.

Janna's ears pointed downwards. "I feel bad for not tackling this sooner, but there's not enough time to bring you both up to speed on what needs to be done. We'll place Jill in a carrier again where she can't possibly break any rules. Please forgive me, it just slipped my mind."

Jill whined pitifully through her gag.

"Are we expected to leave her in a cage? And just put her out of our minds?" Nick asked.

"That's for the best. Again, please forgive me for forgetting this." Janna and Jewel headed off to work after placing Jill in a carrier again

Nick's stomach churned at what just happened. They abruptly left him and Judy along with condemning their littermate to a very unpleasant fate. A few hours trapped within a cage in Jewel's room due to their own negligence this time instead of by necessity.

"Come with me." Judy's voice hung by a thread. They left the farm. She guided him through a path in a nearby forest. "This feels so wrong, but I can't do anything to prevent it."

"Glad I'm not the only one deeply disturbed." He laughed miserably. "We're having a peaceful stroll through a serene forest while your littermate is trapped in a cage because we don't know the precise details of what she's allowed to do. It certainly doesn't help that Jewel told me that I wasn't safe until we formally begin the courtship process."

"I tried to prepare you the best I can. Don't forget that you need to abstain from eating anything within Bunnyburrow unless if it's delivered by Finnick. It's better than taking the slight chance of being poisoned because you'll regret it for life. The formal excuse we'll use is that you don't deserve to eat. My parents don't know that I'm planning on courting you, they also can't find out. We'll hopefully secretly start the process tomorrow when everyone should be asleep."

"Even though I know what to expect it still unnerves me as everything plays out. I feel so helpless against it all." Nick walked with Judy while breathing in the fresh air. They moved up a hill until they arrived at a top of the hill that allowed them to see most of Bunnyburrow. "This is beautiful, Judy."

It was certainly wonderful looking at Bunnyburrow from the vantage point of a hill. He could see a significant portion of the suburb.

"I know, you can see so much up here." She looked into his eyes. "So, I was thinking we should be anywhere but home especially since Jill's trapped within a cage."

"Can you deal with being cruel to Jill? I can't."

"I thought they would take care of it themselves without my involvement, but it seems like I have to. It's one thing to look away while it happens; it's another to actively participate. You've done so much for me already by agreeing to this. I won't ask or expect you to do this too."

"Will you be okay mentally?"

She switched topics. "What do you want to do for the entire day? We've a couple of hours until Janna and Jewel are back from work."

"Away from rabbits hopefully. I hate to be killed early."

They made the best of it by spending hours in the forest until Janna and Jewel would return home from work. Everything only got worse once with their arrival. Sure, they took Jill out of the tiny cramped cage, but it was little comfort compared to their next demands.

Both Janna and Jewel insisted that Jill wouldn't eat actual food fit for mammals. They gave her live insects and nothing more. This would be humiliating for a predator in of itself but for a rabbit, it was on another level entirely.

He watched as the rabbits reveled in Jill's humiliation of eating insects from a bowl of which he thought was way too much for her alone. She cried as she tried to force down the live insects one by one while fighting her gag reflex.

"There's no need to be jealous, you can have some too," Jewel said.

"But I wasn't." He felt pity for Jill.

"Are you saying that I'm wrong?" Her voice held a dangerous edge to it with connotations of being unpleasant if he chose to disobey. "I thought Judy trained you properly when you said that you didn't deserve to eat. Rabbits are never wrong."

He glanced at Judy for some indications of what to do. She only nodded which he took as approval of Jewel's plans. Due to safety concerns, he skipped lunch and even planned on skipping dinner. Every insect he ate was fulfilling even though his face burned as the rabbits watched him. They didn't force him to all fours but eating from a bowl on the floor was humiliating enough. It was actual food but extremely degrading. Jill suffered less because the more he ate, the less she had to.

As soon as he finished eating, Stu decided to formally give him a room. He followed Stu while being wary of the entire place since he was alone without Judy or her littermates.

"This will be your place," Stu said.

Much to his surprise, it was fitting for a guest instead of some decrepit room in disrepair. "Thank you." He bowed. The room had a bed, a few books as well as a television screen along with a computer.

Unfortunately, before he could settle in his room. Jewel knocked on the door while brandishing a whip. "Get on all fours, now."

A moment's hesitation was all it took for Jewel to strike.

He reflexively cried out as the whip hit.

"On all fours, now."

It wasn't too difficult for him to overpower Jewel within seconds. He loomed over her with claws around her throat.

"Hm, this didn't go as planned," she whispered in his ear. "Don't kill me?" She grinned nervously.

"What were you thinking?"

"Oh, dropping off a message, be awake at five in the morning sharp. We're going to come to get you. The sooner we're safe from family the better. I was hoping to have a little fun. Just so you know, my stunt at supper was out of concern for you. I didn't want you to starve."

He debated if he should demand a creative apology from her but figured that could wait after they officially begin courting him. "So, are you just going to leave just like that?"

"That depends on you, doesn't it? Pretty sure in most places, slaves don't whip their masters. Anyway, I'll be off now."

The crazy rabbit slipped away from his claws just like that. He hated himself for letting her go since he didn't feel comfortable to ask for more. If the shock collar was still around her neck, he would've used it. Something had to change around here since she was getting more and more brazen and unreasonable.

* * *

He was awake at four since he didn't want to oversleep. His very life was on the line if they did this wrong. It took an hour before Judy and her littermates arrived at his room.

"Finally." He failed to stifle a yawn.

"Everyone's asleep still hopefully so we can sneak into the courtship hall undetected," Judy whispered.

They tried to move with absolute silence throughout the farm trying not to disturb anyone as moved into a stone corridor with a door.

"So far, so good," Janna remarked. "Once past these doors, our family wouldn't directly try to interfere with the courtship process. Brace yourself."

The stench of death assaulted Nick's senses as the door opened. "What is wrong with all you bunnies?" There were numerous corpses of rabbits as far as he could see on either side of the wall.

"You already deduced that we killed each other," Judy said.

They journeyed into the sacred hall where dead rabbits lay on either side. The corpses were simply there because no one bothered to remove them. A weak groan came from a nearby pile causing Nick to look up to find the source. He saw giant letters painted on the ceiling; they were currently at the letter B. His eyes drifted towards a rabbit groaning in pain.

"That one's still alive," Nick said.

"She'll die soon enough. It might take a few days. Starvation will claim her if nothing else would." Jewel grinned wickedly. "Pay the rejected no mind." She tugged on Jill's leash, motioning for her to walk faster on all fours.

"If you run away, we will kill you." Janna helped him walk even though she just threatened to kill him. He had to fight his instinct not to run away screaming while minimizing the air he inhaled since it reeked of death.

Step by step the group made their way down the gruesome hall towards another door. Nick's steps were unsteady as his efforts to avoid breathing made him lightheaded. He tuned everything out, absentmindedly walking forwards like a zombie.

They finally reached the end of the hall upon which Judy caused a hidden chamber to open by pressing a button. She pressed another button causing five pedestals to rise from the ground. Four were tall, one was short. All the rabbits except Jill leaped on top of a tall pedestal.

"What a shame, she can't act like a normal rabbit. She's only a pet." Jewel laughed. "Pets don't leave this place alive."

Jill jumped on top of a given pillar. Janna shocked Jill with her remote for disobedience.

Judy motioned for Nick to jump on the remaining pillar.

As soon as he landed, she said, "I hereby deem Nick Wilde worthy of courtship for us all. My fate shall be bound to his should I make an error."

Her littermates said, "We warn you that death is the price of failure." Judy joined in for the latter half. "The ones that die allow the ones that remain to live without restraint."

The entire performance memorized Nick as if it was rehearsed while he watched silently since he didn't know what to say. Hidden stairs appeared in the middle between the pillars. He followed them into the passage where he saw a computer.

"Really?" Nick rolled his eyes. The computer felt out of place with the décor. He expected something else from the dark ages instead.

"Well, we modernized." Judy typed all their names in an online database and an offline one. The offline document had several entries already giving Nick a sense of scale. He saw over thirty entries when it just dealt with J. There were the same rabbits present on multiple lines sometimes meaning the rabbits killed not only their littermate but the buck they were courting as well. From what he gathered, strikethroughs represented death.

An ear-piercing scream came from Jill as Janna shocked her once more for acting out of line.

Jill didn't resume her four-legged stance. She moved towards Nick instead, whispering in his ear, "Please make them stop. I can't take this anymore. They will if you listen."

"What will you do?" Janna asked. "Should we shock her more for non-compliance? You are our mate officially now."

He never knew why Jewel had such demands in the first place. "This is over."

"Do you have any reasons to persuade us, Jewel?"

Jewel's ears pointed downwards. "Nothing that I would admit to publicly."

Janna's fury had no bounds as she slapped Jewel's cheek hard. "You did all that to Jill without even the courage to see it through?" she shouted in her ear. "We did all this for nothing! She suffered needlessly." Nick had to intervene to prevent Janna from choking her to death.

"Your anger can wait. I need to go to work," Jewel croaked.

Jill rubbed her chin across his neck. "Thank you."

Janna stared Jewel in the eyes. "You make me so angry. I can't believe you did that! It's not that you relented, but you didn't even try to persuade him!"

Everyone still followed Jewel's lead when she suggested they should leave. They started their journey out of the sacred place. Nick hated the hall the second time around even though he knew how long it would be. The stench of death was no less revolting.

It seemed like all the rabbits on the farm were there right outside the sacred hall waiting for them.

"You… courted a fox," Stu said.

"And there's nothing you can do to stop us." Judy grinned.

"He was supposed to be a simple friend."

Judy stuck out her tongue.

Nick noted that not all rabbits hated the idea of Judy sneaking around their father. Some approved because they viewed him as a walking pelt while others held a sense of awe on their faces for daring to pull such a stunt. A few kits tried to tug on his tail for their own reasons while other kits fought them off. Stu called for order while they slipped away in the chaos to Janna's room. Jewel headed off to work as soon as they were clear from the mob.

The first thing Jill did was raid Janna's room for clothes. She eagerly put on suitable garments once more. Nick glanced around the room noting many printed news stories spanning several centuries on the wall. Judy and Janna wasted no time in displaying physical affection towards Nick by marking him with their chin.

"Isn't this a bit fast?" Nick asked.

"Not really," Janna said. "The courtship process officially started."

He certainly didn't expect the dynamic between them to change this fast. All three rabbits were busy having fun with his body in various ways. His lack of direct protest was consent for them to proceed. They nibbled on his ears and played with his tail.

"Everyone just… stop."

They respected his wishes even though he was too embarrassed to admit why. This was only three rabbits wanting him at once, he didn't think he could deal with four.

"I'm not comfortable with all of you touching me at once."

They certainly meant no harm, but the pleasurable sensations were a bit overwhelming.

Judy played with his tail while the others kept a respectable distance away for his comfort.

"Janna, come quick it's Jewel." A frightened rabbit barged into her room.

"What has she done now?" Even now her voice seethed with hatred. "Let's see."

The commotion wasn't hard to find as they found Jewel tugging the leash of an unwilling naked doe. No one stopped Jewel while the doe fought with her every step of the way. Every so often she whipped the doe to encourage her to pick up the pace or move in the correct direction.

"What are you doing?" Janna asked.

"Oh, a generous offer came up. I stick her in the oven and record her screams for ten points."

"You thought it was a good idea to expose Nick to this for a mere ten points? Are you out of your mind?"

"I was hoping that he wouldn't notice."

Nick's mind fought over fight or flight instincts leaving him to stare awkwardly as he listened to the exchange. "What have you done?" he asked the naked doe.

"I ran away because I didn't want to die."

"Can't you stop this madness?" he asked Jewel.

"Not without giving up my own life."

"Weren't you headed off to work?"

"I thought you were clever enough to know what my job entailed. Disappointing."

Nick tried to forcibly stop Jewel, but Judy restrained him physically despite his struggles.

"Nick, stop this. We're not going to spare a random doe at the cost of my littermate's life."

The procession followed her all the way to the kitchen. Nick refused to stay away despite knowing what was going to happen and being unable to prevent it. Their captive still struggled against her fate, but after a certain point, the desire for reprieve caused her to move forward as the stinging bites from the whips became too much.

It was just like Jewel said. She literally forced her into the oven before turning it on. Nick watched in horror as the doe's unearthly screams pierced his ears. The other rabbits within the room mostly watched with horrid fascination, some even recorded the spectacle with their cell phones.

The doe inside pounded against the window as well as trying to destroy the oven from inside. She tried so hard to escape her fate, but it was little use. It was clear she was going to die from the heat. None of her desperate pleas saved her. Not even an offer of slavery was enough.

Nick watched a doe being cooked alive while Judy physically restrained him. He stayed because he felt like it was something he had to witness even though he couldn't halt happened in front of his very eyes. As soon as the rabbit was done being cooked, Jewel said, "This is simply a formality, do you want a bite? You're well within your rights to refuse and expected to. I also recommend that you do."

He wanted to strangle her then and there as someone this cruel didn't deserve to live. His rage gave him the strength to overpower Judy. Within seconds he pinned Jewel under him like common prey.

Judy's paw stroked his head trying to calm him down. Janna and Jill tried to play their part too without directly stopping him by touching his tail.

"All I ask before you kill me is that you hear me out privately. Not here because of too many prying ears. There's something even Janna doesn't know," Jewel said.

"Whatever you're trying to pull…" He heard the sheer rage in Janna's voice.

"Fine," he grunted. Reluctantly, he let her up. He followed her with shaky steps as his mind still grappled with what he just saw. A rabbit being cooked alive in front of his very eyes. Judy escorted him every step of the way with the aid of her littermates. Soon enough, he was within a room that could be considered private.

"Try not to kill her, I won't blame you if you do," Janna said before they all walked away leaving him alone with Jewel.

He stared at the heartless black rabbit with red eyes trying to imagine what she had to say.

"Here's why you shouldn't kill me because I would do anything for the mammals I consider family. Right now, that also includes you, my mate."

"Justify why you cooked someone alive."

"Allow me to explain myself or try. I opted to work for the entertainment industry to protect Judy, which I'm sure you know. What you don't is, at the age of seventeen, they offered me a choice, kill two rabbit kits which they provided and become a regular member or raise them for a year and become something more. Common members are free to be used as assets within the very scripts I've written before. I've merely written scripts that required someone to die before. I remember how innocent the kits were."

"And I'm guessing you spared the kits," Nick said.

"Perceptive, at least you're not stupid," Jewel said, even now she tried to act normal by insulting him. "Anyway, it was a new experience for me entirely. I was lucky that my father provided me with the means to raise them, or rather he gave me money without even asking why. He couldn't be completely oblivious since it was he who set me on that path. I know others opted for this path but failed due to monetary issues. All three were killed mercilessly."

"So, you succeeded."

"In a way. The industry leads Bunnyburrow and back then I thought that position of reverence couldn't be completely vile, but how wrong I was. They certainly painfully disciplined me for the kits failures academically which gave me an incentive to care about their growth. After a year, they expected me to kill them in cold blood. Certainly, anything would be better than that even a deal where I signed my littermates' lives away and had to kill a mammal every single day just to remain alive or I would be next, and then so would they. I kill and torture by necessity, not by choice. Welcome to my world. My greatest failure is having compassion."

A victim of circumstance was something he could identify with, but it alone couldn't excuse everything. Her actions were horrible, but so was her situation. He didn't know what he wanted to do anymore.

* * *

 **A/N: Did I go overboard with Jewel? Painting her as a victim of circumstance. For people that read both stories, which Jewel is better as a character?**


	10. The Cost of a Glimpse

**A/N: This chapter has been sanitized to conform with FFN's rules.**

 **Chapter 10: The Cost of a Glimpse**

* * *

Nick needed time to gather his thoughts after Jewel's confession of why she did what she did. Sure, she killed mammals to save the ones she loved, but did that make it okay? The same path that led her to cook someone alive in an oven. Although, he thought of a few lingering questions that her confession didn't answer.

"Why did you act the way you did towards Jill?" Nick asked. She cared for her siblings or, so he thought.

"It was for her own good."

"She's your littermate, not a pawn!"

"That's true, but her safety matters more. She's too stubborn to convince otherwise and arguing with other mammals isn't my forte."

Sure, in his past he conned mammals out of money which sometimes had cascading effects, but he wasn't directly responsible for what happened. Jewel on the other paw directly caused suffering because of her predicament.

His silence prompted her to say, "I don't care if I suffer by your paws as long as the mammals I care about remain safe. Give me an alternative if you don't want me to kill."

"Can you at least tell your littermates everything?"

"What if they don't understand?"

"Why did you tell me then?"

"You wouldn't let me live otherwise. I saw it in your eyes. The truth improved my chances of survival than dodging the question yet again."

He wanted to deny the accusation that he himself intended to kill her at one point, but what if she was right? That sent shivers down his spine.

Judy barged into the room, interrupting his thoughts. "Sorry to interrupt but Finnick's here per the agreement you made."

Even though he should be grateful that Finnick followed through on his promise to deliver food, he hated the untimely interruption. It came at an inopportune time, but he couldn't simply ignore him. Judy led Nick and Jewel to Finnick's van right outside the building where Bonnie and Stu, as well as several siblings, were, unfortunately.

"You certainly took your time." Finnick tapped his foot impatiently.

"He paid you to deliver fast food?" Stu asked.

"Yes? Money's money."

"Oh, I was expecting something fancy," Bonnie said. After Finnick revealed what he was delivering, Judy's family left them alone, thankfully.

"Fast food, one meal a day. What a way to spend spring break?" Nick began eating the cricket fries inside the cramped van with four rabbits and a fennec fox beside him. It certainly wasn't ideal, but he had little choice given his paranoia.

Jewel tested the waters by asking Finnick a few questions before deciding to reveal everything she knew about Bunnyburrow to everyone. The revelations surprised Nick who knew most of it. They expressed grievances among themselves while not managing to kill each other despite feeling immense betrayal and shattered trust.

"Nick, there are secrets to keep, and this frankly isn't one of them," Finnick scolded.

Nick averted Finnick's eyes because he was right. After everything Finnick taught him since he ran away from home, something to the scale of Bunnyburrow shouldn't be kept from him. Finnick delightfully imparted knowledge of fox culture since Nick didn't know enough. Foxes looked out for one another and would stand by him through this.

Janna held her paws around Jewel's throat as if wanting to strangle her. "You … kept this … from me. I thought we trusted each other."

Jill was no less enraged. "I thought you suffered from mental issues because of your job but knowing that you bullied me because you wanted Janna to punish you, really hurts." Jewel atoned by licking her fur without prompting.

Judy played the voice of reason by reminding everyone that Bunnyburrow was the real issue.

"I'm going to get something," Jewel said before leaving the van. It took a few minutes for her to return with two cell phones. She showed the gruesome rabbit cooking to Finnick. "Think you can do something with this?"

"Should," Finnick acknowledged. "I'm going to reveal this to Zootopia too."

"Why?" Nick asked. Zootopia's justice system was hardly reliable.

"Because the world won't stand for this when mammals treat their own this way. I don't suppose there's evidence of bunnies taking advantage of other species?"

Jewel replied, "I can acquire some beyond the ones that star myself. Bunnyburrow's ruling caste prides itself on delivering entertainment to the world."

Finnick drove off after promising to spread the word of what truly went on in Bunnyburrow. Nick and his mates agreed to help Jewel obtain points within reason.

* * *

After a less than wise agreement to help Jewel acquire points, they gathered in her control booth after completing the video shot. Jewel herself went into the arena below to arrange an unfortunate fate for one of the industry's slaves. Aside from the constant reminder of a struggling crying doe, their experience was over. "Now that business is out of the way, Judy and Nick, how were your first times?" Jewel said after returning from the arena below.

"Would be better without everything else," Judy replied. Nick echoed her sentiments. Her first time wasn't too bad although certain things she did were out of her comfort zone even though she knew what she was getting into. Nick's scent was permanently seared into her mind from all she had to inhale. Jewel earned some precious points without killing and that's what counted. They couldn't save Scarlett from her fate, so Jewel placated them by showing where she kept the two kits.

"I hid them from everyone because of what I did back then. They need to live here by the industry's demands while I can spend points to give them some more freedom," Jewel said. They descended into the hallway where two kits aged fifteen lived. Before she opened the room, she informed them all, "You have ten minutes, and not a second more."

The kits lived in a rather small room. It certainly wasn't spacious with no access to the internet. Everything within the room showed significant signs of use, every book, or game they had.

"Mom, you're not going to kill them, are you?" the doe asked. She wore dull but functional clothing that had holes in several places and the buck beside her was no better off.

"Not this time. These mammals are my family. The ones which I care about. This is Amanda." She pointed to the white doe. "And this is Adam." She pointed to the brown buck. "The industry wanted me to kill them, but I couldn't in my weakness. Now, I've killed many mammals just, so my littermates and they would stay alive. I signed my littermates' lives away that day just, so these kits can live."

They knew that since Jewel told them before, and how she killed more and more just to take her sibling's names off that very contract if she should fail. However, it was a revelation to the kits themselves.

"You did that for us?" Adam said.

"Yes, way back then, after we've known each other for a year. I couldn't kill you both in cold blood." Jewel groomed Adam's ears.

"We love you, and always will." Amanda embraced Jewel.

With five minutes left, Jill said, "Tell us about Jewel."

The kits wasted no time in conveying their feelings towards Jewel. She was wonderful in every way to them despite the circumstances and the stakes. Before they could finish their tales conveying how wonderful Jewel was, Jewel forced her littermates and her mate out of the room even though there was still one-minute left. "Time's up." After they left the room, she explained, "Anyone that stayed overtime forfeited their life."

They walked out of the complex and approached their car. "This was supposed to help me earn points, but overall, I ended up spending six instead. Showing the kits to all of you, cost me ten points while Nick and Judy's roles in the arena earned me four." Jewel turned her head away.

"We understand you now, Jewel," Jill said. "If you require something of us to help, we'll consider it. The industry won't drive us apart."

"That's what scares me, I forced you to act like a pet before without any explanation since the industry offered a deal by agreeing to take one of their names off the list if I should fail at my job yet I stopped it because it was clearly too much for you. As Nick and Judy learned today, points are indeed hard to earn."

"Don't worry about that." Judy knew it was her own fault for taking the initiative.

As Janna drove them home, Judy talked about her experiences within the arena and what she did on video. She wasn't shy about telling everyone the uncomfortable parts she endured because of the agreement.

* * *

 **A/N: The sex scene has been redacted, full version available on AO3. It probably needs better flow as a result.**


	11. Slippery Slope

**A/N: AO3 version contains smut.**

 **Chapter 11: Slippery Slope**

* * *

Nick quickly learned that four rabbits were too much for him to handle. First, Judy wanted more quality time, so she jumped him while he was in the shower. Second, Janna waited for him to exit the shower, so she could indulge herself. Finnick arrived, interrupting his session with Janna. Sure, he got to eat, but Jewel wanted a piece of him right afterward. Luckily, she sensed his reluctance and gave him the cold hard truth that it was okay to deny them. That was just three of his mates wanting a piece of the action.

The morning offered no reprieve since even though he went to sleep alone, he felt three tongues grooming his fur when he first opened his eyes. His mates were naked from what he could see, and Jewel stole a surprise kiss causing him to scream on impulse.

"Aww, you don't like your good morning kiss?" Jewel pouted.

"Some personal boundaries would be nice," he grunted.

"It was a surprise," Judy said.

"I'm just one fox. I can't handle four rabbits wanting me all at once. Not like this."

"How boring do you want your life to be?" Janna asked. "We can certainly make that happen."

It was beyond absurd how the next few minutes proceeded. They led him to a room and retrieved several forms. A shy Jill joined them along the way.

"You're kidding me, right?" Nick said after taking the time to read the forms in front of him. The forms specified the acts he wanted to do, along with the number of mates he was willing to do it with. "Isn't this a bit too formal?"

"We're willing to accommodate you, Nick, you should be grateful," Judy said.

"Scheduling sex in this manner makes me feel like a slave."

"So, what can't we do?" Jewel asked.

"How about no more surprises like that, without any warning?"

"But then how will I get close to you?" Jill used her ears to cover her eyes. She still held a lingering fear of him from what he could tell.

"Fine, you alone can surprise me all you want." He didn't want to discourage her from being intimate with him.

"That's unfair!" Jewel cried out. She earned a glare from her littermates.

Nick said, "You can surprise me once a week."

As soon as they finished establishing his comfort zones, they wanted to mark him as their own. They led him back to his room where they made him take off his shirt, but thankfully, allowed him to keep his shorts on. He enjoyed the sensations as they rubbed their chins all over his body while he was on top of a bed. Jill joined in on the marking much to his surprise. Although, she just claimed his tail and nothing else.

The purpose of the marking was for him to acquire their scent thus they didn't allow him to wash afterward. Their scents were more potent than his own by the time they finished. After the session, Jewel said, "I need to go to work."

"Can't I help you obtain more points?"

"It's not that easy, and you're worth more than that alone. I'll certainly notify you if they make an offer requiring your presence that I'm willing to consider."

"I'll keep an eye on her," Janna vowed.

Their philosophies differed on what they found acceptable, but Janna served as a moral compass of sorts for Jewel. It didn't make him feel that much better, but there was nothing else he could do. His heart ached as he watched them go, knowing what horrors they likely had to inflict upon others as part of their routine.

"I feel so powerless that I can't stop it," Nick said.

"The feeling is mutual," Judy assured.

"Only four more days until we can leave," Jill said.

"Can I get some time alone with Judy?" Nick asked.

Jill's ears pointed downwards immediately. "I'm no longer a Hopps in the eyes of my family. It wouldn't be safe."

Nick understood that Jewel forced her to leave the farm, but he didn't realize the extent of what she did until now. "What happens if you're alone?"

"I'd rather not find out. The only way I can be on this farm is as property. Maybe, I should be a pet again."

"No, that's okay. You're one of my mates, not a pet." His words caused Jill to kiss him, much to his shock. "Aren't you afraid of me?"

"I don't want to be."

"Can I leave you two alone?" Judy offered. A few minutes of silence from Jill was enough for her to walk out of the room.

He heard her inhale his scent even though he knew she was afraid of foxes on some level. They remained like this for a while before she started marking parts of him to the point of overriding her littermates' scents.

"I'm scared."

"About what?"

"What happens when the world learns about Bunnyburrow? Even though my family doesn't want me…" She didn't finish that thought but he understood.

On some level, he wanted to believe that the world wouldn't stand for a place like this, but history offered plenty of examples to the contrary where mammals gladly turned a blind eye. "I don't know."

Jill moved on to massaging his back. Her paws were simply divine as she pressed all the right spots. He enjoyed the occasion from the normally timid rabbit. She had to stop once Finnick arrived with food as per usual. Although, much to his misfortune, on the way to the van, his scent attracted a horde of Judy's siblings. He knew they were evil, but they held irresistible charm. The way they acted showed only innocence.

It took some time for his mates to convince the kits to leave him alone. The only reason they left him alone was them promising that he'd give them rides after.

"You smell more like a rabbit than a fox." Finnick smirked.

"My mates are rather possessive. Has there been anything, regarding, the you know"

"Nothing noteworthy from Zootopia. I'm going to appeal to foxes instead once the week is over. Our species doesn't abandon its own."

"Of course, Chief I-Don't-Care won't be of much help," Judy grunted. "Sure, it makes me feel better that he turned a blind eye. It's implausible to think that he didn't know on some level.

Once Nick finished his meal, Finnick drove off just as usual. The kits from before expected him to uphold what Judy promised them. He spent the next few hours giving them rides on his back. It was refreshing to see innocence within the Hopps family.

Currently, he was on all fours with five kits on his back arguing which direction he should go. His mates walked right beside him, keeping an eye on their kin. He bumped into Janna and Jewel who returned home from work.

Jewel waved her crescent moon amulet making the kits run away in fear.

"What did you do that for?"

"Because you're my mate, not a pet. It would be different if they didn't understand their actions, but they do." She glared at Judy and Jill. "You two, why did you even let that happen?"

"They were innocent," Jill said.

"As if, I'm sure father introduced the concept of dominance to them already." She addressed Nick, "I believe you owe me quality time. Something fantastic happened at work today."

Janna forcibly turned Jewel's head until she stared at her eyes. "And he shouldn't know what happened at work. You're out of your mind if you tell him."

"What happened at work?" Nick asked.

"Come with me, I'll tell you everything." Jewel led him all the way to his room. They were beside each other on the bed before Jewel began her tale. "So, one of my co-workers brought her kit to work today. The kit accidentally wandered into my zone. It was delightful watching his mother's will break as I gave the kit his just rewards. He only begged for death five times." Her mouth salivated as she recounted the tale.

Nick read between the lines. "You tortured a kit?"

"Why yes! One less monster running around in the future. An industry member brought to heel, and fifty points gained. Now, I get to spend time with my favorite fox."

A great sense of unease filled Nick. He couldn't believe how Jewel recounted her deed without any shame at all or reluctance.

"You disapprove? That kit was a monster in the making. His mother was going to show him the ropes."

"How old was he?"

"Only eight. Now then, what do you want to try?"

"Don't you see anything wrong with what you did today?"

"Not at all. For once, I tortured someone who rightfully deserved it. Janna wanted me to keep this from you, but I think honesty is refreshing."

"I can't deal with you right now." He left the room to find Judy. His emotions were a mess considering what he learned just now. Even though he knew what her job entailed and even witnessed some of it, this was on another level entirely.

While looking for Judy, he ran into Janna. "She told you, did she? What should I do to her?"

"Nothing. Come with me too." It took some time before Nick found Judy who was in her room along with Jill. "I don't know what I should do with Jewel." He made himself comfortable on the bed before telling everyone what Jewel shared with him.

"I don't think it's a problem," Janna said. "She shouldn't have told you, that's all."

"How's hiding it any better?"

"It happens regardless unless if you can provide an alternative. I hope your friend Finnick will follow through on that. She doesn't work at her job because she wants to, but because there's no other choice. Set some boundaries for her if you want, but I implore you not to because her superiors will take advantage of it. You know, once you all leave for Zootopia after the week is up, she must remain."

"You're on her side?"

"Of course, she's my littermate and she didn't step out of line today. If you're willing to kill, I'm sure the industry will set up a lucrative offer for that alone, but I don't think you should share her burden."

Before he could formulate a response, Jewel entered the room. "How dare you suggest that alternative? That's one line that I won't let him cross."

"Let me?" Nick echoed.

"It's fine if I kill or torture, but not if you do, for the industry. To soothe your own conscience, I will allow you to punish me, but I was hoping for a romantic night, however."

"So, what do you think should happen?"

"We spend the night together romantically and you trust me more because I chose not to hide what happens during work. You did promise."

It was true, Nick promised back then, but that was before the events of today. All things considered, she was right. He followed her all the way to her room.

* * *

 **A/N: Is honesty always a good thing?**


	12. Breaking Away

**Chapter 12: Breaking Away**

* * *

Jewel couldn't be more disappointed since even though Nick followed her into her room, he wasn't down for anything fun based on his posture. She tried to hide her disappointment by taking possession of his tail.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked.

Apparently, she didn't hide her disappointment well enough. "Nothing at all." Yes, she had time alone with Nick, but he wasn't enjoying it. Of course, it was her own fault for guilting him into spending time with her in the first place.

To mask her own frustration, she groomed his ears as he laid on the bed. If he couldn't see her face, he couldn't say how much she wasn't enjoying his company. She thought she was in the clear when Nick moaned from pleasure, but his voice sent chills up her spine. "Why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

"Because…" She couldn't tell him that the only reason he was even with her was that she guilted him into it. He was only here because of a sense of duty rather than a desire to be with her. "Nothing is wrong."

Her fake smile wasn't enough. "I hope I won't need Janna's help," he said.

He was kind enough to give her that as a warning. She didn't want her sister involved thus she told the truth. "Fine, I guilted you into coming here with me, now you're clearly not enjoying it, and this bothers me." Although, when she saw his ears wilt, she was quick to add, "It's not your fault, it's mine. I don't blame you."

"What do you want to do?" Nick asked.

"Something that you cannot give right now." She wanted a romantic night with him, but he had to be willing. "I shouldn't have told you what happened at work today. It's my own fault."

"It's not that you told me, but how much you enjoyed everything, and would gladly do so again."

She smirked. "Why is torturing and killing mammals that will become monsters a bad thing? The ones who rightfully deserved to suffer actually did. It's far better than when I had to hunt just to keep myself and the ones I care about alive. They needed to die so I can live, but I was the one who trapped them in the first place. Yes, it's their own fault for trying to take me as a slave."

"So, back in Zootopia…" Nick trailed off.

"I tried to test you just the same, but that buck interfered! And I never got the chance. Janna got all the glory when it was supposed to be me!" She clenched her teeth as she recalled that memory. "You passed the test with flying colors."

"And if I failed?" he asked icily.

"I would've considered you no different than anyone else that did, but you passed the test. Unlike everyone else, you weren't in danger. Even though you deserved to be."

"Do you realize how risky that was?"

"That's my life and how I obtain my mammals. She played the role because we were concerned that you might recognize me and realize that something was amiss. Not everything goes according to plan, but mammals in Bunnyburrow are far from compassionate. I do derive joy in making them suffer afterward."

Nick stood up from the bed. "I need some time away from you."

"Please, Nick, I'll do anything for you." She got down on her knees. "Do anything to me but stay with me."

"If there's anything you can do, to come with me to Zootopia, do it."

"Of course, there is. If I sacrifice the two kits that I showed you that day, I'm sure I'll be free, but I won't, not even if you order it. I'd rather die."

"At least, you have some boundaries. I won't ask you to do that."

Jewel buried her nose in his neck since he didn't move away. "What can I do to make you happy? If it's in my power, I will."

"Can you enjoy causing mammals to suffer less?"

"After how much they've tormented me? Are you really asking that?"

"You enjoyed causing Jill to suffer too."

"That was an act! I had to seem cruel to pull it off. It also won't happen again. She'll be living in Zootopia now. I want to earn your love because you're someone that passed my test. Please give me a chance during the little time we have. I don't know when I can see you again."

"I just can't right now."

"That's okay, I understand." She cried as she let Nick walk out of her room.

* * *

Nick left her since he couldn't deal with her at this moment despite learning about her tragic past. The circumstances were against her but in his mind, that didn't justify the overt sadism she displayed. He desperately wished that there was a way for Jewel to leave Bunnyburrow and come to Zootopia with him.

He went to find Janna since if there was anyone capable of helping Jewel, it was her. It took some time to find her with Jewel's sobs lingering on his mind. She was with the rest of her littermates, sitting at a table, talking among themselves.

"Is there a way for Jewel to come to Zootopia with me, for maybe a week?" he asked, despite knowing that the answer would be no.

"You really want this, don't you?" Janna said. "The amount of despair within your voice means it'll be possible, but first, would you protect her with your life?"

"What?" He didn't expect this at all. Despite everything Jewel did, he didn't want her dead. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"The industry is flexible, I'm sure a week will be no problem. Answer the question. Would you protect her from mammals that try to kill her?"

"Of course, Nick would," Judy answered for him. "What are you planning?"

"Don't worry, nothing bad is going to happen. I just wanted to see how much he wanted this."

"So, what are you going to do?" Nick asked.

"Set her free for a week."

Jill pulled on Janna's ears. "You're lying to him."

"You just don't understand." She turned towards Nick. "There is a catch. Sleep with her tonight and show me that you care for her by doing everything she wants. I'll be filming you two. That's not too much to ask, is it?"

"Of course not," he replied.

"Good, start by spending time with her now."

He returned to Jewel's room where he informed her of the situation. There were tears in her eyes by the time he returned. She had been crying since he left.

"That's not going to work," Jewel said. "If that was a possibility, I would've known about it. There's no way the industry will grant me a week in Zootopia with just offering them a video of me sleeping with you. I won't object however, just don't be disappointed when it fails. That's wishful thinking on Janna's part."

They spent the night together cuddling each other while Janna filmed them. He was reluctant but thought a week away from Bunnyburrow would allow him to figure something out for her current predicament.

* * *

She blinked twice when she checked the industry's offers for her today. A chance to leave Bunnyburrow for a week with her two kits at the cost of fifty points. The offer had two minutes till expiration but even then, she carefully read every clause. It wouldn't be the first time the industry tried to trick her into signing her life away on something clearly too good to be true.

There weren't any tricks thus she cashed in her points for a week of freedom. This was an unexpected development, although, for the duration of their unexpected reprieve, the kits were her property. It was a formality as they trusted her fully with everything. They had to wear collars that said, "Property of Jewel."

She went to tell them the good news. The room they stayed in had just enough to keep them alive with minimal entertainment. They lived alone with each other and no one else.

"Why are you here?" Amanda asked since Jewel arrived outside of the usual timeframe.

"You both get to leave this place for a week." Jewel gave them a bone-crushing hug.

"How much did it cost?" Adam asked.

"Fifty points for a week. I think their trick is that you both wouldn't want to return. Otherwise, it's clearly too good to be true. Come with me."

They didn't flinch as Jewel put collars on them, indicating they were her property. None of them questioned it. Jewel led them to her car where she drove them all to her home. The first thing she did was tell her littermates and Nick the good news. "Fantastic news! We can go to Zootopia for a week."

"What did you do?" Nick asked in a whisper.

"Spent fifty points. It's worth it and they get a week's freedom. The soonest we can leave is tomorrow. They're not free forever. They need to be back when the time is up. As you can see by their accessories, they need to wear that at all times. To be safe, even in Zootopia."

"We don't mind, really," Amanda said. "We're just glad to be out here."

She showed the kits her room.

"Who are all these mammals?" Adam pointed to the portraits on the walls.

"Mammals that died by mammals that I killed. It gives me solace that I wasn't the only victim by my targets. You know that I need to kill at least one mammal a day just for us to stay alive," Jewel said.

There was the grim reminder of her predicament once again, but for now, they just enjoyed their temporary freedom. Jewel had to supervise them since they were officially her property. The kits had the same difficulties as Jill, if they were alone, there was bound to be trouble. They treasured every moment that they were free.

She watched as the kits played with Nick's tail. Everyone finally had time to get to know each other since their last encounter was extremely short. There were still a few hours until Janna returned home from work.

Several hours later, she saw Janna wearing a crescent moon amulet. She rationalized that Janna did something horrifying. The amulet symbolized her as a member of the industry.

"How did you get that?" Jewel asked.

"It's a secret," Janna replied. She looked at the two kits. "What are they doing here? "

Jewel explained the fortuitous events that happened today.

"Are you sure you didn't get tricked? Do you have a copy of the agreement at least? We can still fix this."

"Relax, but you still owe me an explanation for how you got that amulet." She wasn't willing to let that attempt at deflection work.

Janna reiterated that it was a secret which made Jewel more concerned.

"Nick, can you make her tell us how she got that amulet?" Jewel asked.

With a gentle push from Nick, Janna said, "Don't worry about it."

"Do I need to take drastic measures?" She contemplated torturing Janna until she revealed the secret.

"I won't let you." Janna waved her amulet in front of her.

"You're going to use that to stop me?" Jewel asked, especially since before she willingly submitted to Janna.

"This secret is mine to keep, but anyway, we can all go to Zootopia in two days."

"Fine, are any of us in danger? Did you sacrifice anyone for that amulet?"

"It was a fortuitous event, so I took it. Just like your own. None of you are in danger and I didn't sacrifice anyone."

"I don't believe you, but you didn't lie about those two questions." It bothered her however because the industry didn't give away these amulets freely. She thought of one more question to ask. "Did anything happen to you?"

"Not at all."

She should feel relieved but instead, she felt a foreboding sense of dread. How Janna obtained the amulet was a mystery to her.

* * *

Today, was the day they were going to leave Bunnyburrow. The car they drove here was unable to carry them all back to ZootopIa so Jewel rented one. This shouldn't bother him, but it did as it was yet another reminder that she was going to return here. There was still an illusion of normalcy as the family gathered to see them leave.

Yes, mammals said their goodbyes while Nick certainly wished to never see them again. They exchanged comforting words as they departed. All the physical affection was a way to hide the malice lurking within.

To his surprise, their first stop wasn't Zootopia but where Gideon lived. Nothing seemed amiss from the outside of Gideon's house. They waited at the door's entrance after knocking.

"Hello, Gideon," Jewel said.

Janna and Jewel flicked their crescent moon amulets, placing an emphasis on their status.

Gideon flinched momentarily before a fake smile appeared on his face. "What brings you all here?"

"We want to eat some pies and to catch up. It's been a while," Judy said.

"Of course, Judy. Glad to be of service."

Once Gideon walked to the kitchen. Judy whispered in Nick's ear, "Remember, not to eat anything because Gideon might poison yours."

"Wouldn't that be dangerous for you too?"

"He wouldn't dare poison us."

Jewel said, "We also wanted to test if he's more loyal to you, or Bunnyburrow. Don't worry, nothing's going to happen to you or him."

They sat at a table while waiting for Gideon to make those pies. Janna and Jewel went to supervise his cooking efforts. It was a test of Gideon's loyalty. Nick glanced at Gideon's collection of cooking trophies. After a while, Gideon came out of the kitchen and asked Nick for help.

Nick entered the kitchen while not really knowing how to bake a pie. Janna and Jewel walked out as soon as he entered. "How much do you know about Bunnyburrow?" Gideon asked.

"Not much at all." Nick decided to play dumb, seeing where it would lead.

Gideon waved a pouch of Night Howler powder in front of him. "They wanted me to poison you with this, but I'm going to use it in their pies instead. You can eat yours to convince them that it's safe. Help me have my revenge."

Nick watched as Gideon poured the Night Howler extract into the pies.

"Wait, Janna and Jewel asked you to poison me?"

"Of course, why else would they wave that amulet around? Bunnyburrow's entertainment industry wants to control you."

"I've come to trust my mates. I don't want to see them kill each other," Nick said.

What he didn't expect was for Gideon to relay his history to him while they were alone since Janna and Jewel didn't enter the kitchen again. Gideon certainly relayed how he suffered because he happened to practice Bunnyburrow's teachings on the wrong rabbit. "I'll give you the choice. All you need to do is eat a pie to convince them."

"I'm sorry, Gideon, I don't want to help you in your revenge. I want to save them from Bunnyburrow."

"Have Janna and Jewel free me from servitude to the Hopps family."

"I will."

Nick walked out of the kitchen with Janna and Jewel waiting to enter. It wasn't until Gideon walked up to the table with a batch of pies that Nick informed everyone that Gideon poisoned their pies except for his own. He conveyed Gideon's demands to be free from servitude to the Hopps family.

"I can't do that," Jewel said.

"I won't do that because it'll place myself in too much of a risky position," Janna said. "Show how much you trust this fox by eating the pie he made."

Since there was a mammal that supervised every step of the process there was no way for Gideon to poison his pie without someone knowing. Nick trusted his mates enough to know that they wouldn't attempt to poison him.

Apprehensively, he took a bite of a delicious pie while wondering if he was going to lose his senses. It was delicious, but there was always the chance it contained poison.

"I can't even break a mammal," Jewel lamented once Nick finished his pie. She smirked. "Maybe we should give the other pies to our family."

"I don't want this connected to me," Gideon said. "I'd rather not endure one of those sessions again."

"You think you have a choice."

Janna shot Jewel a glare. "We were here to test Gideon. Since he didn't poison Nick, he'll be safe once we make our eventual move against Bunnyburrow." She turned towards Gideon. "You passed our test, and because you didn't poison Nick, you can't tell anyone about this without dying."

Just like that, they left Gideon's house. They were finally on their way to Zootopia. Nick reminisced on how messed up Bunnyburrow was. It was a place where he didn't even dare to sample the food for fear of poison. The Night Howler extract Gideon had in his house further reinforced those worries.

His mates stuck by him through all this, and everyone except Jewel and the two kits she brought would be free of Bunnyburrow's influence. It took a few hours before they arrived at his place. Nick couldn't believe that his mother was waiting at the steps of his house. He figured she was sitting there for quite a while as she had a book open, reading its pages.

"Why are you here?" Nick asked.

"The better question is why did I have to learn everything from your friend Finnick? You've acquired four mates under dubious conditions, not to mention their customs. It's true that I've left you alone ever since you ran away, but this isn't something to keep from me," Vivian said.

"Look, things are complicated right now." Nick made the understatement of the century.

"Explain them to me or else. We foxes don't abandon one another."

"This is going to be a long story. Can we go inside first?"

Everyone entered his house and made themselves comfortable on the couches where they could talk. Jill gripped his arm possessively while she leaned on his shoulder. Vivian started the conversation. "Please tell me why you thought this was a good idea?"

"It was my decision," Nick said. "Judy informed me as much as she could. How much did Finnick tell you anyway?"

Vivian spared no details of the gruesome depiction of Bunnyburrow. She even emphasized how Jewel worked for the industry. "A secret like this is too big to keep. It's something you should tell everyone that you trust so that word gets out. How you strung Finnick along by just giving him enough information to stay alive is unacceptable. I'm here to help since you're clearly in over your head."

"What can you do to help?"

"Do you know why Zootopia is the way it is? A political game where each species tries to increase its own power. The world won't stand for Bunnyburrow's practices, and even if they do, we foxes won't. Bunnyburrow even ensnared our own within their system."

"What are you suggesting?"

"If we can't convince Zootopia to help, live among our own until we figure something out. Foxes don't abandon their own. I'm sure a trip there would be worth it regardless. The foxes would certainly want to see one of their own hopelessly in love with a bunny."

* * *

 **A/N: The first story placed too much emphasis on rabbit traditions while not giving foxes ones of their own.**


	13. Plans

**Chapter 13: Plans**

* * *

Jill tried to act normal in the midst of a conversation with Nick's mother. She gripped Nick's arm to calm her own nerves. Foxes were scary, but their fur was comfortable.

Nick asked, "Going to Foxhaven?"

The word Foxhaven drew her attention immediately. She repeated it out of fear, as a place she desperately didn't want to go. Adapting to Nick's presence was hard but being around more foxes terrified her.

The conversation faded into the background as she possessively held Nick's arm thinking that it would protect her in some form. Her eyes were open, but her mind kept thinking of anything but her present situation.

Vivian snapped her claws in front of Jill bringing her back to reality. "Would you care to explain?" Her tone was harsh as if she took offense.

Jill decided on if she should lie or not, but Nick said, "It's okay, Jill, just tell the truth."

"I'm terrified of foxes," Jill said. She tried to use Nick's arm as a shield by bringing it on top of her head while looking down. She closed her eyes waiting for some form of retribution despite what Nick said. To her surprise, Vivian moved her tail right in front of her nose. She knew how fluffy Nick's tail was and it was right there in front of her, daring her to grab it.

"She won't hurt you," Nick said.

That was encouragement enough from Nick that she made the leap to grab Vivian's tail. She nuzzled it because of how fluffy it was, without realizing that Vivian lifted her with her tail in the process. "Aren't you a curious one?" Vivian said. "You didn't smell afraid a second ago."

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Help you become comfortable around foxes. It's very plausible that we're going to go to Foxhaven for shelter. See? Even now you enjoy how my tail feels. We're not so bad. So, how did you end up being a mate to my son?"

"You don't need to tell her," Jewel said.

"it was my choice," Judy said. "Does of the same litter share a mate. I know that Jill's terrified of foxes, but I also thought it would be better than finding a simple rabbit. Bunnyburrow's reach is terrifying, I learned that all too well early on. I love Nick, and since he's a fox, there's a chance to end all this."

"So, it was forced upon you," Vivian observed. "That explains a lot. Jill, you can be apart from Nick if you want."

"This is a trick, isn't it?" Jill said. She never even considered being apart from Nick due to their customs.

"Do you want to be away from me?" Nick said.

"I don't know." She had clung to him and adapted to his presence because of a desire to be safe at first. It was what Judy wanted, despite how much being near foxes terrified her. "If I had the option before, I wouldn't be near you at all, but now I feel like I should be despite that my instincts tell me to run away sometimes. Father told me many tales that foxes were terrifying." She noticed that she was still holding Vivian's tail. "Fox fur is comfortable."

"You don't need to be next to a fox to be near their fur." Jewel grinned. "It's a simple matter to turn a fox into part of a coat. Once I return to Bunnyburrow, I'm sure I can send some your way to make up for all that I've done earlier."

"You're not going back to Bunnyburrow ever again." Janna waved her crescent moon amulet around. "It's part of the deal I made with the entertainment industry. They've wanted your head for so long, and now once the week is up, they'll finally have the chance. I'm older than you, and that gives me power over your life." Everyone glared daggers at Janna. "Don't worry, I'll protect you with my life."

"Is there anything else that you would like to tell us?" Nick unsheathed his claws at Janna. "Anything important that you might've left out?"

"Lower your claws, Nick," Vivian scolded. "I'm ashamed that you're threatening physical violence."

"What would you do then?" Nick asked.

"Nothing at all. Janna wasn't lying, I'm sure she had her reasons."

"Yes, as you can see that Jewel needs to be away from Bunnyburrow. Her job comprised her morals significantly. There was an opportunity for the mammals that I care about to live, so I took it. A target on her means nothing if she's protected. That's where you come in. I would risk it all for a happy ending. You can do something, right?" Janna failed to keep the fear out of her voice.

"I certainly wasn't going to depend on Zootopia helping us," Vivian said.

Jill squeezed Vivian's tail to calm her nerves. The idea of going to Foxhaven terrified her, and now that Bunnyburrow would be hunting them, she had little choice.

"This place is inadequate for the eight of us to sleep here even today. We're going to my house."

"Your house? We were barely living paycheck to paycheck when I was a kit," Nick said.

"I've made connections."

Everyone except Jill agreed to head over to Vivian's house. Although, everyone reassured her that they would make it comfortable for her. Nick and Vivian both offered her tails for comfort, her siblings also offered to sit beside her while in the car. So, she decided to sit between both foxes in an attempt to acclimate herself to the environment. She suspected that Vivian's house would smell more strongly of fox than Nick's. Despite it being scents she knew, it still put her instincts on edge.

The trip to Vivian's house was over in a flash while she focused on how fluffy two fox tails were. The foxes sat beside her, comforting her every step of the way. Once they arrived, it was only slightly larger than Nick's house from the outside.

Vivian opened the door to her house. Jill clung to Nick's tail every step of the way, ever fearful that she would bolt into the streets otherwise. It certainly made them move slower than everyone else. She focused on his tail alone while only keeping enough attention not to trip over anything as they moved.

A white bear that she didn't recognize stepped out from a room. "Hello again, Nicky," the bear said.

"What are you doing here?" Nick's tail stiffened.

"Business." He addressed Vivian next, "Are these the mammals you want to be protected?"

"Yes," Vivian replied, "even though we're bound for Foxhaven within a week, I don't want to take any chances."

"We need to talk," Nick said to his mother.

"Excuse us," Vivian said.

Jill tagged along since she wasn't going to let go of Nick's tail. They went into a vacant room for the three of them, far enough for everyone else not to hear their conversation.

"Are you out of your mind, getting Mr. Big involved?" Nick yelled.

"Did you think that everything that happened to you since you ran away was by chance? They will help us."

"And what did you give up in the process?"

"It's of mutual benefit."

"What's wrong, Nick?" Jill asked as she didn't understand the source of her mate's distress.

Nick explained the current situation to her. Even though he was on better terms with Mr. Big now, that was still someone he wanted to avoid turning to for help. Not to mention what was happening in Bunnyburrow was beyond what most mammals could fathom.

After a few hours, it wasn't that Jill needed a fox tail to stabilize her emotions, she just found them comfortable. They didn't complain, and she certainly wasn't going to reveal that she was fine now considering how Nick used his tail as a reward before for her littermates.

* * *

Judy squirmed uncomfortably in an oversized chair within Chief Bogo's office. Chief Bogo called her here for some purpose she didn't know but she had a good idea it would be about what happened in Bunnyburrow. It would also save trouble of her bringing up the subject, since that was the sole reason that Vivian allowed both Nick and her to go to work.

"So, would you like to begin?" Chief Bogo asked.

"What is there to talk about, sir? I don't know why you called me here." Judy feigned innocence instead of divulging everything. "My partner is waiting for me before we begin parking duty."

"If I was following protocol, I suspect you would be back in Bunnyburrow. I suggest you start talking, and not let this chance go to waste."

"I thought you didn't care. We've all known about how the kangaroos conduct their justice. It's not like it's a secret at all. The term kangaroo court exists for a reason."

"Should I follow protocol and let the ZBI handle this matter? If you want to keep your secrets then walk out of this door, go on parking duty, but I can't promise that you'll come back. Not to mention that your partner would count as evidence. Start talking and leave out nothing."

"Shouldn't you tell me what you know first?"

"We can always go the other route. If I deem your disclosures inadequate, then I shall follow official protocol."

She didn't know what Chief Bogo knew, but on the other paw, she didn't want to reveal everything. If she revealed everything, her littermates would no doubt be guilty under Zootopia's laws. "I want my littermates to be free from prosecution."

"You don't get to dictate the terms here, Hopps."

"Then follow official protocol, and I'll be leaving." Judy Hopps made motions to leave the room. Her heart pounded as she reached the doorknob knowing that she was as good as dead if she walked out of the room.

"Fine, start talking and leave out nothing."

With great reluctance, she revealed everything she knew about Bunnyburrow as well as her family.

"Are you sure you didn't forget anything?"

This made her freeze as she knew that a death sentence awaited her if Chief Bogo didn't find her revelation adequate. She searched her mind to think if she might have missed even one critical detail. "Yes, that's everything."

"Are you sure?"

"I told you everything, what more do you want?" she shouted while jumping on top of the desk.

"Tell me why I shouldn't fire you on the spot?"

"Aside from my loyalty to my species, I've done everything that I should as a ZPD officer. I'm hardly alone in that regard."

"And you've never even tried before now to reveal anything, even if it might be helpful for the current case. There have been opportunities and you took none of them. Not even pointing other mammals in the right direction. Need I remind you about Emma Petal?"

That was one case where she could've leaked some knowledge she had but chose not to. It would've been easy too. "What about Nick? What about my littermates?"

"The safest place for everyone involved should be outside of Zootopia. To protect 'innocent' rabbits, I'll pull some strings to cause them to emigrate out of Zootopia before we reveal the truth. I've a feeling the public won't take this calmly. You've seen how they reacted during the Night Howler crisis."

"Sir, that's going to cause chaos and put multiple lives at risk."

"Offer a better plan then. Aside from forcibly deporting all rabbits, there's not much we can do. Zootopia doesn't have the resources to protect every rabbit, nor would everyone want to. You have two weeks to leave. As for the official record, both you and Wilde decided to cash in on your remaining vacation days."

Judy walked out of Chief Bogo's office. She hated that she confessed everything, only for nothing to happen. Sure, Chief Bogo offered support in his own way, but it fell short of what she expected. Nick was waiting for her outside of his office.

"How did it go?"

"He didn't turn me in and we have two weeks to leave Zootopia. He also forced us to take all our vacation days."

"Good thing that my mother plans for us to be gone within a week. It's charming that he cares this much about us."

* * *

Nick and Judy returned to Vivian's house where they saw Jill sitting cuddling Vivian as they chatted with each other. A loud scream came from Jewel within a room. "Don't worry, they've been at it for at least an hour," Vivian said.

"Doing?" Nick asked.

"Each other, I think. Why are both of you back from work so early?"

"The chief cared more than we thought," Judy said. "He's on our side by not turning us in. We've also been unofficially dismissed since he plans to reveal what goes on in Bunnyburrow to the world in two weeks. He anticipates it would be unsafe for any rabbit once the true nature of Bunnyburrow is revealed."

A scream came from Janna this time within that room. "Alright, I'm going to check what's going on in there," Nick said.

"Give them some space," Vivian advised.

Heedless of Vivian's warning, he went towards the room regardless. He saw Jewel looming over Janna currently tied up on the bed. They were both naked with whip marks on their fur. "What the?"

"Don't worry about us," Janna said.

"Do I want to know?"

"Do you want to join us?" Jewel blinked seductively. "Surely I've earned some lashes with how I act or maybe you want to confess your sins. Why don't we start by why you're home so early? You should be at work." She raised her whip as if wanting to strike.

"I'll just leave you two alone."

"Wrong answer." Jewel swung her whip at his back, making him scream in both surprise and pain. "Shall we try this again?"

Nick was angry at first since Jewel dared to whip him. Janna said, "If you have a problem with her swinging the whip, I would've done the same. Now, talk or she'll whip you again."

It wasn't that it was critical information or something that he couldn't divulge, he just didn't expect this to happen. "Fine." He recounted what he heard from Judy.

"Was that so hard?" Jewel said.

"Did you have to whip me?"

"I enjoyed seeing the reaction on your face. Now, don't try to leave the room." Jewel untied Janna from the bed. "Take off your clothes."

"Now?" Nick asked.

Janna and Jewel both brought their claws out to tear his shirt to shreds. "You don't need to work today, and we want to have fun," Janna said.

The commotion within the room attracted both Judy and Jill's attention. Nick had little choice but to submit to his mates grooming and marking him all at once. Since he didn't vehemently object, they kept doing as they wanted.

* * *

 **A/N: I had writer's block for the longest time, and got sidetracked by other games.**


	14. Drastic Measures

**Chapter 14: Drastic Measures**

* * *

Nick and his group except Jill went to Clawhauser's house after the cheetah's shift was over. They wanted to reveal to Clawhauser the truth about Bunnyburrow. Jill was with Vivian since Vivian all but demanded to spend time with her. To his surprise, Jill put on what he thought was her bravest face and agreed.

They were outside of Clawhauser's house. "Can we come in?" Nick said after Clawhauser answered the door.

Nick saw tons of Gazelle merchandise when they stepped inside. It was so cramped, everywhere that they could barely move without tripping over something. The kits with them instantly took a liking to Clawhauser's extensive collection. Everyone else sat around a table while the kits busied themselves by playing with stuffed animals.

"What brings you here?" Clawhauser asked.

"It's about…" At first, going to Clawhauser, in an effort to win support seemed like a great idea, but now he struggled with what to say. "Bunnyburrow and courtship."

"Oh no," Clawhauser said. "Judy, how do you feel about all this? He was too late, wasn't he?"

"What do you think happened?" Judy said.

"Nothing. Never mind." Clawhauser sighed with relief.

"Oh, so that's something you can't talk about." Nick's ears lowered as he thought that Clawhauser wouldn't be able to help them. It was foolish to expect Clawhauser to do something in light of this. "We'll be going."

"Wait," Clawhauser yelled before they stepped out the door. "What do you need?"

"Look, since we're about to break laws by revealing secrets, why don't you tell us all about cheetah courtship customs. That was about what you're going to reveal before you decided to not. Otherwise, we'll be leaving," Janna said.

"Fine, not like it's going to change anything. For the benefit of the species, cheetahs claim what they want, when they want. Of course, I certainly hope there's consent involved with other species. The ones that try to talk get waylaid by the courts, and no one dares to admit this in public. The fathers can only hope their kits are their own. It's far worse for the females, not knowing when and if it's going to happen. This is how we become strong with the survival of the fittest," Clawhauser said that last bit with extreme mockery.

Nick knew all too well what a city can bury if it tried. He wasn't sure if that was better than what he witnessed in Bunnyburrow, but they were both horrible. Clawhauser's revelation certainly explained why there was an abnormal amount of cases regarding sexual assault and cheetahs. He figured Clawhauser must have pulled a few strings since Zootopia convicted them.

Interrupting his thoughts, Clawhauser said, "Now, it's your turn."

Bit by bit they revealed how horrible Bunnyburrow is as well as rabbit courtship customs. "There's not much that you can do. If someone were to reveal this to the world, can you think of the chaos that it would cause?" Clawhauser said. "Or worse yet, mammals know and turn a blind eye. This is beyond us."

"Chief Bogo is going to reveal Bunnyburrow to the world while we go into hiding," Nick said.

"The Chief hasn't even told me!" Clawhauser cried in outrage. "

The cry of "Timber!" interrupted their conversation. They turned their heads as a large stack of Gazelle plushies was about to fall on top of the table. The kits had managed to stack what seemed like every plushie within Clawhauser's collection on top of another.

Clawhauser didn't seem to mind at all. Adam and Amanda landed on top of Jewel who returned their affection by nuzzling them. After everyone calmed down from the commotion, Nick said, "So, we'll be leaving Zootopia soon. Chief Bogo will hold an announcement about Bunnyburrow."

"Going into hiding while you set the world on fire sounds like a brilliant plan." Clawhauser laughed. "The first rabbit and fox officers that destroyed Zootopia."

"Certainly, you're not suggesting that it gets buried like everything else?"

"I'd like to think smarter mammals already figured everything out and just don't care. Zootopia isn't strong enough to stand up against Bunnyburrow, and that's assuming that it will. I suppose I have to thank you for telling me so I can leave."

"Leave Zootopia?"

"One round of mass hysteria is good enough for me. I hope this turns out in our favor because I'm going with you."

Nick hadn't really intended Clawhauser to tag along with them, but he felt it would be unwise to persuade him not to. "Alright, we're going to Foxhaven because that's what my mother wants."

"Do you even know what that place is like? They cheat mammals out of their possessions and laugh. Hardly what I would call a friendly place. So many mammals go broke there, but I'm still coming with you since it's better than staying here."

"We'll be leaving on Sunday," Janna said.

* * *

Jill tried to keep her perpetual sense of unease in check since she was in the presence of not one, but two foxes. One was her mate, the other was her mate's mother, but it still made her fur bristle. Vivian treated her well enough by letting her hold on to her tail for comfort without demanding anything in return. Although, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread when Vivian wanted to spend time with her when Nick and her littermates decided to visit Clawhauser. She wasn't brave enough to deny Vivian's request, ever fearful of some form of retribution.

"I'm so glad you agreed," Vivian said.

"Now that my mate and littermates are out of the way, you can get rid of me," Jill uttered those words even though it was her choice to remain with Vivian.

"We're going to go to Foxhaven soon, and you still have your fears. I have a plan that might help." Vivian's voice implied threats even though she said none. "Follow me."

Vivian led Jill to a place that she hadn't gone to before. Jill trembled as she took in what was on the walls. It was disturbing, there were shock collars as well as muzzles. Her senses picked up the faint scent of blood.

"I'm scared." Jill still clung to Vivian's tail as they advanced further into this foreboding place. She wouldn't be able to run away as the vixen was faster and stronger than her.

"Good, that means you know how this works." Vivian took out a muzzle, a pair of gloves and a shock collar.

The sight of all this was enough to make her turn tail and run despite knowing that she wouldn't get away. There was the faint hope that she might. It was just like she feared that Vivian pinned her to the ground within mere moments of her attempted escape.

"Wouldn't it be better if I were in everything you saw? I couldn't hurt you then." Vivian whispered in her ear while towering over her.

"Why would you want that?" Jill knew enough that the equipment would leave Vivian helpless. "It's a trick isn't it?"

"No tricks. You're free to use everything in that room on me. I noticed that you fight your instincts when you're here, wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to? If used properly, I would be helpless. Surely, you can't be scared of a helpless fox. Don't forget how sharp these claws are." Vivian used a claw to poke Jill's cheek, deep enough to draw blood.

Jill thought she had no other choice, but to use the room's equipment on Vivian. She had to hope that Vivian kept her word. Her paws trembled with every movement. She helped Vivian into the devices one by one. Thankfully, Vivian was cooperative every step of the way. Next, Vivian directed her attention towards the leashes and whips hanging on the wall.

Jill was unwilling to even hold the leash or the whip.

Vivian said, "I'm going out on a walk. Would you like to join me?"

"Wearing all this? What would everyone think?"

"I'm sure you'll get in trouble after I tell them how you forced me into everything."

"But that's a lie."

"The truth won't matter until it's too late."

"Can't you take those off first?" Jill pleaded.

"You know what you can do." Vivian kept walking without turning back. "Just think of everything that I know."

Her paws were shaking as she watched Vivian leave. "I don't want to hurt you. Please don't do this."

"What do you suggest?"

"Anything."

"You hold my life in your paws, and you're still afraid of me," Vivian stated.

"Because I care about you." Jill embraced Vivian.

"Not how I expected this would go." Vivian sighed. "What's it going to take for you to become less afraid? Giving you all the power didn't work. You're fighting your instincts again with your fur on edge. Do you realize how much of a problem this will be once we go to Foxhaven?"

"You are scary. Remember, Nick explained to me that you have ties with the mafia. Not only that, without you, I'm sure Bunnyburrow will kill us." Jill helped Vivian remove all the equipment.

"What about other foxes? Can you act normal in their presence? Let's go for a walk in the park."

"Of course," Jill said. She wanted to avoid what Vivian wanted to do before.

They set out on a walk towards the park. Vivian was adamant that Jill walked beside her without holding her tail every step of the way. Every step was a struggle because she had to resist grabbing Vivian's tail for comfort. It certainly didn't help matters that she had to walk in front of Vivian. With every step, she had to resist the urge to look backward.

Once they arrived in the park, Jill's struggles didn't escape her notice. It was fare more evident now that there were other predators nearby. "Well, you're still tense as ever even though we've arrived."

"Other predators frighten me too," Jill admitted. What Vivian wanted seemed impossible in such a short time span. Vivian expected her to be at ease around foxes when it was against her upbringing. "Maybe I shouldn't go to Foxhaven."

"And where will you go instead? Zootopia which might crave bunny blood, Bunnyburrow where they exiled you? You need to get your fears under control to the point that other mammals can't see that something might be wrong with you. Foxhaven is both ruthless and caring."

"I should've gone with Nick, but I was afraid of you."

"Be honest with your desires, it's one thing if I don't grant them."

"Can I hold your tail on the way back?" Jill asked. The fluffiness of the tail made the presence of foxes more bearable for her.

Vivian granted this request of hers. They walked back home at a much faster pace this time. Jill was no longer frightened every step of the way. Vivian's tail gave her a sense of security.

Once they returned, Vivian said, "You know the room I took you to earlier, those are free for you to use on us if you need it. I will help Nick into those if he struggles."

"I won't do that to Nick."

"It's an option because we don't have much time. You need to be comfortable around foxes."

* * *

Everyone returned to Vivian's house after eating at Clawhauser's. The kits had their fill with Gazelle merchandise that Clawhauser had laying around everywhere in his house. Jill greeted Nick as soon as she caught sight of him. "There's something I need to show you. Alone."

Nick thought it was serious due to her tone. "Can't it wait?"

"No. Follow me."

Jill led him away from his mates and the two kits with them. After several minutes it was apparent that Jill was leading him in circles. "Are you lost?" Nick asked.

"I don't want Jewel to find out. Here we are," Jill said. They went into that room with muzzles and shock collars as well as other stuff. "Your mother showed this to me, and allowed me to use those on her, but we didn't do anything."

Nick had many questions once he saw the room. It was strange that his mother had such a collection of these items. "What else is she hiding?" he said aloud.

"She even said that she'll help me put these on you if the need arises, but I won't do that to you."

"Just not the muzzle," Nick said. "I'm fine with everything else if you think it'll help. I'm going to show this place to my other mates."

"Even Jewel?"

"Yes, I trust her enough. She'll certainly appreciate everything. It's better than her finding this room on her own. It'll be okay." Nick gave her some time with his tail since that made her feel at ease. Even though he knew he had to show Jewel, he also knew that his life would be more complicated afterward. First, Nick went to ask Vivian why she had this collection.

"Why are you so surprised?" Vivian said. "I'm sure you would've figured out why by now. We do have a problem with Jill though. Foxhaven as it is, won't be good for her but we can't leave her behind."

"Are you hiding anything else?"

"Nothing that concerns you. Your top priority before we leave is to make Jill comfortable around foxes, or at least yourself. I don't care what you need to do to make that happen. Even now she clings to your tail for comfort. It's only an issue because she wouldn't function without it."

"I am right here," Jill cried indignantly.

Since Vivian wasn't forthcoming with the answers, Nick assumed it had to do with her relationship with Mr. Big. He decided not to pry further but still asked for permission to show his mates that room. With her approval, he proceeded.

Everyone except Adam and Amanda gathered within the room full of torture devices. Jewel, as predicted, had a gleam in her eye. "Nick, can we please play with these sometime before we leave for Foxhaven?"

Oh, sure she was nice now, but if he denied her, he was certain that she would take him by force. "When we have time," Nick said, to prevent any hostilities. He also felt embarrassed that she had no shame, asking him while his mother was right there. It was awkward at best.

He couldn't help but flinch as Jewel moved to pick up a shock collar as well as a leash even though she hadn't tried to put one on him yet. To his surprise, she put those on Janna. Janna offered minimal resistance from what he could tell.

"So, you can leave unless if you want to watch me torture Janna," Jewel said, seemingly not caring who else was in the room.

"What? Why?" Nick cried.

"To vent some frustrations. Are you going to stay and listen to her cries of agony?"

"Why don't we do something normal as a family? Like, watch television. Don't forget, you can finally have fun with the two kits that came with us." Nick hoped that he could persuade Jewel from torturing her littermate.

"Fine," Jewel grumbled. Janna kept the shock collar as well as the leash as they left the room.

On one paw, she heeded Nick's suggestion but on another, she didn't. Jewel and Janna went to find the two kits instead of agreeing to his plan.

He thought he imagined it at first, but he heard a cry for help. Nick and Judy and his mother rushed towards that sound. They found a grey rabbit buck within the grasp of a polar bear.

"Please let me go!" the buck pleaded.

It was a reminder yet again that his mother was in league with Mr. Big's mafia.

The bear tossed a dart gun at Vivian. "He had this." The gun contained what seemed like Night Howler pellets.

"Why are you here?" Vivian asked.

"Janna sent me." The grey rabbit panted for breath.

"Sent you?" Judy narrowed her eyes.

"What do you want?" Nick asked.

"I'm looking for a black doe named Jewel. This bear just attacked me for no reason."

"Please explain to me why you are inside my house," Vivian said.

Vivian was polite, but Nick had a feeling the buck would die if he didn't speak.

"Look, why don't we arrest him for trespassing?" Nick didn't want someone dead because of it.

"That's going to get me killed," the buck said flatly. "My boss won't be happy."

"And who is your boss?"

"Janna."

* * *

 **A/N: Anyone else disappointed in the Game of Thrones ending?**


	15. Pawns

**Chapter 15: Pawns**

* * *

Even though Nick knew that Janna warned them about placing a target on Jewel's head, he didn't expect it to happen so soon. He thought there was a grace period when Bunnyburrow wouldn't threaten them. From what he knew of bunny culture, this was unexpected.

He sent Judy to fetch all her littermates while promising the assassin safety if he cooperated. The timid grey rabbit seemed like someone that he could turn into an ally. Thankfully, his mother played along with his impromptu idea.

"So, what's your name?" Nick asked.

"Josh," the grey rabbit replied.

A few seconds of silence prompted Nick to say, "I know how screwed up bunny culture is."

"Look, if you let me kill Jewel, I can send you multiple does to replace her."

"And if I don't?"

"There's no way I can go back to Bunnyburrow, I'll need to be under your protection. It might damage your standing with the industry, and they won't hesitate to turn on you. Jewel was a murderess cast down low. Just tell me where she is so I can put an end to her."

"You're really clueless, aren't you?" Vivian turned towards Nick. "I believe you can handle this from here. Don't disappoint me." She walked away with her polar bear guard.

Nick wanted to know what the rabbit thought of all this brutality, but he couldn't ask that outright. "Didn't I make headlines during my visit to Bunnyburrow?"

"Sorry, who are you?"

It was a relief to know that Josh didn't know who he was. He detected no deception within Josh's eyes. "Someone famous. I'm disappointed that you don't know about me."

Josh's fur bristled from that comment. His body gave off the scent of fear. "Please make it quick. That's all I ask."

"I did promise that you would be safe. Are you calling me a liar?"

"No, no, you got it all wrong, Your Magnificence. I swear to you that I will do anything that you want as long as I am safe. How many limbs will I lose?"

It was then Nick realized that safety to rabbits simply meant alive. "Do you want to lose any?" Nick asked, curious about the response.

"Two," Josh said hysterically. He fidgeted with his paws as if fighting his instincts not to run away.

Nick understood that Josh picked a number that he thought would satisfy him instead of what he actually wanted. There was no need to further intimidate the rabbit. "I'm feeling merciful. You get to keep all your limbs."

Josh sighed in relief as soon as he heard that.

Judy arrived with her littermates to join him. To Nick's surprise, two kits tagged along as well. Adam and Amanda were fifteen and under Jewel's care, but in his mind that was still too young to deal with adult matters. He wasn't going to question Jewel right in front of the assassin, however. It didn't help matters that Janna wore both a leash and a collar. Jewel held her leash as they approached. They all seemed to guide Jill every step of the way, as she seemed more terrified than usual.

"If you leave Jewel alone with the kits. She will kill them just like she had before. I don't know what your inclinations are, but please find it in your heart to spare them," Josh said.

"So, Janna sent you to kill me." Jewel walked up towards Josh. The grey rabbit backed up against the wall as the black doe approached.

"You're a murderer."

"What's one more life?"

"The fox promised that I would be safe."

"Did he? Nick, would you care to verify that?"

Nick debated if he should speak or remain silent. If he remained silent, he was certain that Jewel was going to hurt Josh. Not wanting to feed Jewel's brutal tendencies, he said, "Yes." He also noted that Josh didn't recognize Janna, or if he did, there was no reaction.

"Why do you want me here?" Janna asked. "We're rather busy."

"You know why."

"I really don't." Janna feigned innocence. It was just as well that her assassin had no idea that she was Janna. "If there's nothing to discuss, we'll be leaving."

"Nick, can I get out of here?" Jill asked.

"Not at a chance. Do that, and I will shock you." Jewel unclipped the collar from Janna and moved towards Jill. "We found you underneath the bed, hiding. That's just unhealthy." She clipped the shock collar around her neck.

Josh glared at Nick. "You enjoy this, don't you? That's why you don't stop her even though she defers to you. How many has she killed under your watch? I hate mammals like you."

Nick had to do something to stop Jewel, but he didn't want to overplay his cards. "And what about your earlier offer of letting you kill Jewel in exchange for more does? Is that still valid?"

"Yes," Josh replied without hesitation.

"Yet, you disapprove of what's happening right in front of you. Why? Only a moment ago, you said you hated me."

Josh began breathing heavily without saying a word. "Forgive me, I spoke out of turn."

Fear was evident on his face and in his voice. Nick decided that Josh didn't like the cruelty of Bunnyburrow but tried to make the best out of a twisted situation. Everything Josh did indicated that he lacked actual experience.

"Jewel, bring me the collar and the remote." Nick saw Jill's muscles relaxed when she was free of the collar. Once the collar was in his grasp, he collared Jewel instead, much to her surprise. He whispered in her ear, "Just leave this room. I'll deal with you later."

The effect was immediate, gone was her cheerful, commanding mood, her ears drooped from their normal upright position. Tears were in the corner of her eyes as she walked away without saying a word. She didn't even try to fight.

Janna placed her leash on the table.

With Jewel out of the room, Jill approached Nick's tail. She hugged it with all her might. She stroked it with her paws, distracting him immensely. It wouldn't be fair to Jill if he told her to stop, so he tried to remain indifferent, focused on the situation in the room. Vivian gave him the responsibility of dealing with the captured assassin.

Josh sniffed the air. "I will do whatever you ask to the best of my ability. Janna will be after me though."

"Why the change of heart?"

"These rabbits love you, and not through fear."

"Janna, what do you want to do with him?"

Josh went wide-eyed as soon as Nick said Janna's name. He really didn't know that she was in the room all along. Nick watched his mate walk up to her former charge.

"Don't feel bad, I chose you because I knew you would fail," Janna said. "And, I'm glad that you did. The industry used you, just like everyone else."

"I don't understand why you protect Jewel."

"Because she's family."

"She kills kits and enjoys it. The most recent example of this is the savage wolf video. A wolf infected with Night Howlers within a classroom, gleefully tearing kits apart."

"I don't suppose you can show me the video?" Nick said. He had a bad feeling that it was the case he worked on before. It was still unsolved to this very day.

"If I can have access to the internet."

They moved to a room with a computer. Nick didn't allow Josh to type, so Josh dictated everything. Soon enough, his fears came true when he saw a shoddy video, but enough that it reminded him of what happened that day. The screams of panicked kits as they fended off their own teacher.

Judy cried, "I don't want to send my littermate to prison, but what does that make me if I look the other way?"

"Someone filmed it…" Janna fumed.

"Don't tell me that you were in on it too?" Nick said. He desperately hoped that Janna was innocent, but considering how close they were, it was unlikely.

"I just didn't tell you all this time. If it's some consolation, it wasn't intentional. The most that should've happened was the wolf's death. That wolf deserved to die for trying to take advantage of Jewel."

"Did something happen?" Nick would understand if that was the reason she kept silent.

"That was her prey." Janna chuckled.

He should be relieved that nothing happened to Jewel, but it made him angry. "One for accessory to murder, the other for actual murder, and I'm mated to them both. I don't think I can do this." Nick knew he was being weak, but he didn't have the resolve to handle this alone. Instead, he led everyone to find his mother with some hope that she would know what to do to make it all okay. It didn't even matter that Josh watched all of this.

Everyone followed Nick as he searched for his mother. Six rabbits and one conflicted fox made their way around the house. It took some time before they found her talking to four polar bears. With as much resolve as he could muster, he asked, "Can we talk?"

Vivian motioned for the bears to leave the room. On the table, there was a detailed map of Bunnyburrow. It had circles pointing out various locations.

Once everyone took a seat, Nick explained everything as best he could with others pitching in from time to time. He cried as he recounted this latest betrayal.

"You came to me because you didn't want to follow due process. What happens to them will be under my control until I deem otherwise," Vivian said.

"And what will you do?" Nick asked.

"Something that I feel is fair. Don't forget, I am helping you."

Nick nodded, thinking that his mother had a better solution than anything he could think of. They depended on her aid anyway.

"You know that you're losing all control over what happens to them."

He nodded again because he knew that he couldn't sentence them himself. Not that a prison sentence would be fitting.

"Nick, you're going to find Jewel and bring her here. Tell her everything you learned."

He walked slowly out of the room, hoping to delay the confrontation with Jewel. It took a few minutes for Nick to find Jewel. She was in his bedroom, marking everything with her scent. The air smelled so strongly of her. "I'm sorry about how I acted toward Jill. You can shock me."

"If only it was just that. If only…" Nick whispered. "Why didn't you tell me everything? I wish I didn't find out this way."

"What are you talking about?" Her voice shook with every word.

"The wolf…"

Jewel cried into his pillow. "A voice whispers in my head telling me to take you away to where no could find you. It would be so easy too. Why am I telling you this instead of just taking you by force?"

"Easy?"

"Have you forgotten who I am? If only I cared more about myself. Put me in pawcuffs. I don't trust myself."

"I don't have any." Nick just wanted Jewel to come with him. "I just want you to come with me."

"You need to restrain me enough because I don't know if I would give into temptation. Half my mind wants to take you away, the other half wants us to be truly happy. It would be fake, but fake happiness is better than none at all." She sniffled.

Nick used blankets in the room to tie her up. He carried the blanket-trapped rabbit in his paws. By her own insistence, Nick gagged her with one of his shirts, so she couldn't speak. He carried her all the way back to Vivian where everyone else waited.

"Why is she wrapped like that?" Vivian asked.

"She wanted it that way to prevent herself from kidnapping me."

"Remember, the consequences are mine to decide. That's what you agreed to. Until further notice, Nick, you will sleep without any clothes on, with your mates by your side."

"What? You're asking me to do that? After all, you learned?" Nick asked. "Jewel threatened to kidnap me!"

"You came to me. Don't complain. What happens is my decision alone."

"I don't think I deserve this," Janna said. "This feel like a reward."

"Then enjoy it."

Judy's eye twitched. "Jewel killed mammals in Zootopia, and this happens? How is it fair?"

"You didn't protest when Nick made the deal. Not even a question. I will hear no more of this. This is my house, my rules. My son is mated to you four, but ever since arriving at my house, not once did you sleep together."

"With all due respect, that shouldn't be your concern. It's our relationship. I don't think this helps his mental state."

"If you don't like it, you can leave." Vivian unwrapped Jewel from the blankets. She confiscated the shock collar and the remote. "I consider you part of my family."

"She threatened to kidnap me," Nick said.

"Only under duress. She won't do that, right?"

"Of course not." Jewel smiled as another lie came from her mouth.

The captured assassin decided it was his turn to speak, "What's going to happen to me?"

"We'll have a chat, once they leave."

Nick decided it was time for a shower. It was one of the ways he could think of to obtain some privacy. He didn't understand why his mother seemed to take Jewel's side with her resolution. Despite everything Jewel was, he didn't want to send her to prison, knowing that it would be a death sentence. His mind replayed the events of the day as the hot water ran down his fur. The fact that Jewel didn't disclose that she killed someone within Zootopia weighed heavily on him.

Interrupting his thoughts, Jewel barged into the bathroom. "What are you doing here?" Nick said, not expecting anyone, he instinctively covered himself with his paws.

"You're too wound up." She walked towards his naked form.

"Get out!" he shouted.

Futilely, he tried to back away within such a confined space as she approached. "Not even going to try to force me away? Not that you would succeed." She jumped to lick his ear, sending shivers down his spine. Next, she plugged the drain and adjusted the tub for a bath.

"What is wrong with you?"

"That's the way you greet someone wanting to rub your back?"

Nick had a feeling if he resisted, it wouldn't end well. Earlier during the day, he feared that she would kidnap him. Now, he was getting the same vibes if he resisted.

Her divine paws rubbed his shoulders. "Doesn't it feel good?"

Not wanting to dignify that with a response, he remained silent. Soon enough, he moaned from the sensation. "Can you please leave?" He hated the fact that he enjoyed her presence.

"You can." Jewel didn't cease her wonderful backrub.

His will wasn't strong enough to leave on his own. Her touch was wonderful on his fur. It all came to a screeching halt when Judy stormed in. "Nick! It's been forty minutes!" She pulled over the curtain. "Jewel, what are you doing here? You said you were going to talk to Vivian."

"Giving him a nice backrub. Why don't you hop on in?"

Not wanting Jewel to take things further, he finally found the resolve to leave with Judy's disapproving voice. "I'm coming out," he announced. Judy walked outside of the bathroom. Jewel stayed behind, much to his relief, finally cleaning herself.

He found Judy outside waiting for him once he dried his fur and put clothes on. "I'm afraid of her," he whispered.

"All the more reason for us to be together so she can't do anything. I won't let her." She sniffed and rubbed her nose against his fur. "You smell lovely."

"I can't believe Vivian asked us to sleep together."

"Wouldn't you be fine with such a command if today didn't happen?"

This made him think. "I suppose, but who knows how many more secrets she might be hiding? When she entered the shower, I thought if I resisted, it wouldn't end well for me."

"You trained at the ZPA. Don't forget that."

He didn't voice his ludicrous concern that Jewel might be stronger than him.

They entered his bedroom where Janna and Jill were watching television.

* * *

The next time he saw Jewel was a few hours later right when they were about to sleep. If Jewel was going to do something else with her time, he certainly wasn't going to complain. Not that he would force her to follow Vivian's demands despite how much he hesitated in breaking those himself. Jewel sounded distraught when she entered his bedroom. "Nick, promise me that you'll spend tomorrow with me alone." There were tears in her eyes, but he couldn't fathom from what.

"You threatened me today, and now you want me to be alone with you? Do you realize how insane that is?" Nick said.

"What do I need to do? Sign something in blood?"

"Yes," Janna said, answering for him.

Not wanting to contradict Janna, he remained silent even when she brought her paw towards his mouth. His own teeth punctured her paws so that she had blood to use. She took a nearby piece of paper to write. "There, happy?" Her tongue licked her wounded paw.

"Hmph," Nick grunted. He started preparing for bed.

Only Nick had to undress to sleep by Vivian's orders. Some of his mates did the same, which led others to follow suit as if it was a competition to strip. Jewel's figure mesmerized him by how she took everything off piece by piece.

"Eyes over here," Judy said. Even then, his eyes lingered on the black doe. "Do I need to be like her?"

"What? No!" Nick quickly turned his head towards Judy.

"Liar."

Jill was the only one who didn't undress. Although, considering how shy she normally was, the fact that she was still going through with this was impressive. Gone was the normal reluctance and fear that she normally exhibited.

They took their positions around Nick. He closed his eyes while enjoying the feel of their fur against his. Not even a few minutes passed before a flash of light caused him to open his eyes. Vivian took a photo of them sleeping. "Mom!" he yelled.

"What?" Vivian said nonchalantly. "I wanted a picture."

* * *

 **A/N: Vivian decided on some cruel and unusual punishment. It was Nick's fault for asking her help though since he didn't have the heart to follow due process.**


	16. Paranoia

**A/N: Not sure if this chapter went too far, but I think it's tame enough.**

 **Chapter 16: Paranoia**

* * *

Jewel was afraid that she would vanish one day and end up far away from Nick. Vivian didn't punish her or give any indication that she would, and that was the problem. She admitted to both lying to Nick and killing someone as well as multiple kits being collateral damage. It wasn't that she wanted to go to prison, but she became terrified since there were no consequences. Vivian had suspicious polar bear guards, and Jewel thought she was going to disappear one day.

Nick was hers for the day since she agreed to the contract. A part of her wanted to take him away, but that wouldn't be true happiness. Her time with him was running out as she thought that one day she would simply disappear. Without the will to kidnap him, she wanted to make a lasting impression.

They headed towards Temptation, some club that Jewel found with multiple five-star reviews. The club promised an unforgettable experience.

A feeling of unease came to her when she saw the building's exterior. The pictures of naked mammals in love didn't bother her in the slightest, but there was a picture of a wolf and a rabbit. She knew the wolf rather well given her position within the industry. Given the number of lives the wolf took, she resolved to end his life if he was there. Nick wouldn't approve, so she didn't tell him.

"Yax?" Nick said as they entered the establishment.

Her fur bristled thinking that her plans were inadequate. It wouldn't be memorable if Nick had been here before. She glanced at the walls, feeling even more inadequate since Nick might've been more adventurous than she thought. The lewd photos made her uneasy as that meant she had to go above and beyond to create a lasting memory.

"That's my brother," the yak said. "I'm Max. Please follow me."

"What happens in this club?" Jewel asked.

Max raised his hoof to his chin in thought. "We strive to create a memorable experience."

"Nick, I have a bad feeling about this. We should leave."

"We sponsor competitions and reward mammals who win."

"What type of competitions?" Jewel asked. The answer seemed obvious, but she had to make sure.

"Endurance, speed, obedience. You're free to watch if you don't want to participate."

"I don't think this would work. My partner is afraid of me."

"It will. You're both free to withdraw at any time. If there are no further questions, please follow me."

She followed Max into a room, leaving Nick behind. The room had various instruments, many of which she used to break mammals before. Max gave her a whip, much to her surprise as well as a collar.

"I can't use this on him," Jewel said. Nick certainly wouldn't agree to this if he had a choice. She would enjoy it while Nick wouldn't.

"Then don't."

"What's the point of carrying this around then?"

"You're free to leave it."

The yak was insufferable in how he acted. Eager to leave the yak behind, she headed towards the main room while wearing a shock collar. Nothing else seemed suitable for her to use. She didn't see Nick, but she saw her prey. Wolfheart who she saw on the building's exterior was here along with a new rabbit slave. From the scars on the rabbit's fur, she figured that the wolf had her for a week at least.

"Hello, I'm new here." She walked up to the wolf.

"Didn't they tell you to strip? You do have a collar."

"I must have forgotten. Please excuse me."

Wolfheart said authoritatively, "There's no need for modesty."

Jewel smiled. This wolf was going to be easier to seduce than she planned. Once he fell for her, she could devise a way to kill him. She acted as if she had shame when she didn't really care if the wolf saw her body.

Before she could finish stripping, her collar activated, making her scream as electricity coursed through her body. The shocks kept coming until Nick walked into her view. Her fox took off all his clothing.

"Would you mind explaining?" Nick said. He couldn't mask the jealousy in his voice.

"I couldn't find you, and he's much more impressive than you," Jewel taunted. It wasn't proper, but she had something to do. She could apologize once everything was over. "What are you going to do? Shock me more?"

"You're coming with me." Nick grabbed Jewel by the ears.

"But Nick!" she said. She struggled futilely against his grasp.

He carried her to a corner before setting her down. It was as much distance as they could get from everyone without leaving the area. "Tell me the truth."

"This wolf is so much better than you. I want to be with him," Jewel said. This would certainly anger Nick but hopefully, secure her temporary freedom.

"You don't trust me."

"Are you saying that the wolf isn't better than you? He's certainly larger."

"Fine, go have fun with him. Find a new place to live while you're at it." Nick walked towards the exit.

Jewel couldn't believe what Nick just did. It was a far stronger reaction than she anticipated. There was no turning back from her plan to seduce and kill the wolf. Before she even reached the wolf, the intercom called her to the entrance along with a slight shock from her collar.

She couldn't disobey the command as she was sure that stronger shocks would follow. Annoyed, she headed towards the entrance as instructed. "What's the big idea?" she shouted at the yak.

"You cannot remain here since your mate decided to leave. Please vacate the premises."

Knowing that it was unwise to argue, she complied. She put on her regular clothes after picking them up from the floor since she tossed them aside earlier. Next, she headed towards the entrance to leave the establishment.

"Do you have any regrets?" Max asked once she arrived at front desk.

"What do you think?" Jewel clenched her teeth. Everything went wrong with her plan and Max was one of the mammals to blame.

"Perhaps I can help?"

"Let me back into the club."

"I'm sorry, that's not an option. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Don't suppose you can tell me where Wolfheart lives? He's way better than the fox I came here with. Much more impressive." Jewel wanted to kill Wolfheart on her own.

"We don't give out information on our clients. Is there anything else?"

Jewel wondered what she should do next. For the sake of her pride, she didn't want to crawl back to Nick so soon. She was certain that she would have a place anyway, once she apologized for her behavior. Not wanting Wolfheart to remain free, she revealed what she knew about him. "Wolfheart kills the rabbits he comes here with once they bore him. I don't suppose you can do something about that?"

"And why were you so eager to be with him?"

Jewel wasn't about to admit that she wanted to kill Wolfheart. "Does it matter? I have my reasons. What are you going to do?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot reveal that information. Thank you for the information and I shall take care of it accordingly. That'll be all?"

"Yes." She walked out of the building, eager to put her experience behind. Since Nick didn't want her to return home, she took the taxi towards the nearest hotel. Her charms were irresistible, and she was certain that Nick would grovel at her feet if she ignored him long enough.

Before she even walked into the building, Vivian called, "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"Is he that desperate for my presence already?" Jewel didn't realize Nick would break this fast.

"I'm here to ask if you still wish to remain part of this family. You were chasing a charming wolf from what I hear."

"Oh, he was boring. I'll be heading home now." Jewel didn't want to admit failure, so she lied.

"Let us discuss the terms of your return first after that stunt you pulled. What do you think should happen to you? Think carefully before you answer because if I deemed it inadequate, you will no longer be welcome among us. Alternatively, you can accept whatever I choose."

"I don't mind sleeping with Nick again. Whatever you choose is fine." She wasn't afraid of anything Vivian would do considering what happened the first time.

It didn't take too long for a taxi to drive her to Vivian's house. The vixen was there to greet her at the entrance. "Follow me," she said.

"I want to talk to my littermates first."

"You're not entering my house."

Jewel narrowed her eyes. "You asked for me to come back."

"No, I asked you if you wanted to remain part of this family. As per our agreement, you're going to do whatever I think is necessary. That's in addition to the sentence for the crime you've committed in Zootopia. Disobeying me would be unwise."

"Fine, whatever. Let's get this over with."

Vivian led her to the backyard. "You will stay here all day and night."

"You can't be serious." Jewel eyed the surroundings. The backyard only had flowers, grass and not much else.

"Are you trying to back out of the deal we made? There's food, as for sleeping, well our ancestors managed it just fine. This yard even has a faucet for you to drink from."

"That's barbaric! Uncivilized!"

"Should I remind you of the stunt you pulled today?"

"What does he want? An apology?"

"You're going to live in the yard until Nick decides you can live in the house again. Our ancestors didn't wear clothes back in the day."

Jewel couldn't believe that Vivian all but asked her to strip! "And if I don't comply? Nick is just a phone call away."

"Try it. They certainly didn't have cell phones back then either."

She tried calling Nick only for no one to pick up.

"See? His silence is consent. Did you really think that I would go behind his back and do something like this? I care about my son. If only you did the same."

"Nothing happened between me and the wolf."

"Not for lack of trying, I bet. Now, if you wish to remain…"

Reluctantly, Jewel gave Vivian all her personal items. She was naked without anything on her as that was how their ancestors lived. Vivian walked away without sparing a second glance. Jewel tried to remain strong in this face of this ordeal. Even though no one was watching her, she didn't dare leave the yard for fear of further consequences. It was around now that she usually ate lunch but considering her choices were literally flowers or grass off the ground, neither of which seemed appealing, she tried to ignore her hunger.

She peered inside from the window, making a pitiable face, hoping that someone would let her inside. No one came to visit her at all or seemed to care about her plight. Any looks her way were incidental, it was as if they didn't even see her. A few hours passed since she started staring through the window. This was far longer than she expected to be out here against the elements. Her mind pondered what she should do once Nick came to see her. She obviously messed up, but for the sake of her pride, she wasn't going to beg for forgiveness.

Even when the sun set, Nick didn't appear, neither did anyone else. She was all alone in the yard with nary a soul to pay her visit. Not even her littermates came. Hunger gnawed at her stomach since she didn't eat anything while skipping lunch. Since this started, she thought Vivian was simply using words to scare her into submission.

Fate simply wasn't on her side since rain fell from the sky. She initially thought that Vivian or Nick would at least serve her supper in a crude bowl for a pet, but it seemed like this wasn't the case. No one came even though she was in the rain for ten minutes. A tear fell from her eye as the reality of her situation sunk in. Nick wanted her to remain out here, and she didn't even know for how long.

She finally took her first nibble of grass, wet grass. It tasted horrible just as she imagined. It wasn't that bunnies shunned grass entirely, but they processed it several ways since they became civilized. Not wanting to subject herself to further torment, she tried opening the door only to find out that it wouldn't budge. She banged, hoping that someone would answer.

Vivian walked towards the door, making Jewel feel relief. She thought that Vivian would let her inside considering the circumstances. What happened next, made her cry. Vivian shut the blinds, obstructing Jewel's view of the house. Now, she couldn't even peer inside.

Even though this happened, she still feared to disobey Vivian. She could travel to Foxhaven alone, but she wasn't sure if that would be sufficient. Not to mention, if she ran into Nick or Vivian, she would probably end up in an even worse situation than the present. For the first time since this started, she curled up into a ball and cried.

Not that it made her feel better as the rain kept pelting down on her fur. She had no shelter from the elements. The rain made it unsuitable to dig a burrow; not that she had any experience. Any of the punishments Janna enacted in the past would be preferable to this. There was nothing to do but wait until someone allowed her inside.

She took another mouthful of soggy grass to stave off hunger. It tasted even worse given how long it had been raining. Every bite took effort to chew and swallow. The only other option was flowers which she wanted to save for when they were dry. Even though Vivian never asked her to leave the flowers alone, she had a feeling that Vivian implied it. With her hunger sated, she tried to sleep without any shelter from the rain. Desperately hoping that Nick would give her another chance soon.

This experience made her reconsider trying to manipulate Nick. She never expected this to happen, always thinking that her charms were more than enough for anything she did. Her fur was a mess and she couldn't even groom herself comfortably amidst the pouring rain.

She spent the entire night trying to get comfortable to sleep, but the wet grass was so uncomfortable she never got a wink. It wasn't until the sun rose that her body gave into exhaustion. The rain hadn't let up yet.

The next time she opened her eyes, the rain stopped but the ground was still wet. Looking at the sky, she reckoned it was noon. Once again, out of sheer necessity, she ate more grass off the ground. Tears fell from her eyes as she forced herself to choke down the food. Not wanting to spend another night in the open, she tried to dig a burrow while thinking it was uncivilized and wrong. Her efforts were unsuccessful as the ground was still too wet to dig.

A few hours later, she tried digging once again. The tunnel she made collapsed in on itself. Instinctively, she tried to call for help only to be awarded with a mouthful of soil. Her mind raced for a solution since she didn't want to die. She pushed upwards, hoping to see the light of day. It took ten long minutes before she caught a glimpse of the sky.

She was ready to do anything they wanted, just to be part of the family again. No one came until the fourth day. By then her coat was a mess, her paws were dirty, and she was miserable. Jill walked out to the yard, carrying a collar and a hose.

"Please! I'll do anything, just let me back inside!" Jewel made a desperate plea.

"You've lost your right to be a mammal. You're just a pet, and pets don't talk." Jill brought an identification collar towards her. The only thing it had was the name tag "Jewel." It wasn't even a shock collar.

Jill hooked the hose up to the faucet. Jewel received a very cold bath that made her shiver. She hissed since Jill forbade her from speaking. Once Jill opened the door, Jewel remained distance until Jill gave the order for her to go inside.

A large pet carrier awaited her inside the house. She could see her littermates and Nick as well. They weren't paying attention to her at all.

"Get in," Vivian directed.

Jewel whined but otherwise complied with the command. From what she could hear, they were all going to Foxhaven. She was grateful that they didn't leave her behind in the yard, but if that happened, she wasn't sure when she would have disobeyed Vivian. No one really asked about her well-being or requested apologies or anything. Nick didn't even care to look at her.

It took every bit of her will to remain silent. If she regained the right to speak, she planned to apologize to Nick for what she did and beg for forgiveness. She whimpered and whined hoping that someone would show sympathy. No one seemed to care, at least from how they acted. She couldn't even catch a glimpse of Nick's green eyes.

They brought her carrier in the trunk instead of letting her ride with them in the car. While the car drove, the carrier bounced around several times, hurting her body as it flung from one end to the other. She cried, hoping that it was loud enough for them to hear.

Her only solace was that she was going with them to Foxhaven. If they gave her another chance, she wasn't going to take advantage of their generosity. It felt like an hour passed while trapped in darkness. The lack of air made her feel light-headed. Even then, she didn't try speaking, fearing that something worse would happen.

* * *

 **A/N: Does Jewel deserve this?**


	17. Foxhaven

**A/N: Writer's block and video games resulted in this chapter being delayed. I rewrote this chapter about ten times.**

 **Chapter 17: Foxhaven**

* * *

Every moment spent in the car's trunk strengthened Jewel's determination. Whatever her family decided was a worthwhile punishment she would suffer it obediently. Her status was lower than a mammal and they treated her worse than a pet – something she totally deserved for playing with Nick's emotions and lying to his face.

Suddenly, the car stopped, and moments later Janna opened the trunk. Jewel saw that everyone was there and Janna said ominous words that made her despair, "You have one chance. You made speak."

Jewel swallowed her pride and said, "Please let me live with you in the house as your slave, Nick. I will cater to your every whim and desire so that one day I may earn your forgiveness."

"And if you fail?" Nick asked.

"I won't but you may send me back to Bunnyburrow, alone." Jewel knew that going back to Bunnyburrow was likely a death sentence for her, but she couldn't think of anything else to relay how serious she was. She could only hope that her offer was good enough.

"You know what going back to Bunnyburrow alone means, don't you?" Vivian said. "Let's hear you say it."

"I will likely die or suffer a worse fate when the industry takes its revenge. I'm also terrified of screwing up accidentally then I lose everything. Nick, will you accept this offer?" She got down on her knees.

"I can't," Nick said.

 _Her best wasn't good enough_. She couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

"Even if I want you out of my life, that doesn't mean I want you dead. There's no way you're going back to Bunnyburrow alone even when you fail."

"What happens now?"

"You'll become my obedient slave and if you fail, you'll live somewhere safe, but away from me."

"Oh, yes! Please," Jewel exclaimed.

"Let's get you out of this cage and some clothes."

Jewel enjoyed the comfort of Nick's fur when he embraced her. She missed his scent and his touch during the last few days. A sudden flash caught her eye, she saw Clawhauser holding a camera. That cheetah tagged along after all it seemed.

When it came to seating arrangements between the two cars, they made Jewel sit beside the two kits she rescued long ago. What made it better was that Nick was in the front of the car so he wasn't that far away from her. She could smell his scent that she missed so much.

"Did you know how worried we were?" Adam said.

His voice made her feel guilty. They looked up to her so much. She tried her best to justify her actions. "I didn't think it would go this badly. Back then, I envisioned a simple apology would be enough and I would kill someone who deserved to die. Not only did I miss my target, but Nick was also furious with me since he's very insecure about his body."

"Idiot." Amanda slapped her. "Nick would've helped."

Jewel rubbed her cheek. "The most Nick would've done is sent the mammal behind bars. That wolf would use the prison system as a revolving door. That wolf needed to die."

"You are aware that I'm sitting at the front, right? My issue is that you would lie to my face," Nick said.

"And? I'm sure you know everything already since Janna pieced everything together."

"She might've been wrong so we still need to hear it from you," Judy said while driving.

"Just focus on the road." Jewel clenched her teeth. "We can talk about this later."

"Oh, tell us everything," Adam said.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Nick chimed in.

She couldn't disobey this order for fear of expulsion from her family, but she had no desire to reveal the entire truth.

"And leave nothing out."

"Shouldn't everyone hear this?" Jewel said in an attempt to buy time. Their group consisted of two cars driving towards Foxhaven. That meant that half wouldn't be present for her revelation. "Vivian especially."

"Good point."

A crisis momentarily averted. She hoped that Nick would forget about this by the time they arrived at Foxhaven. For the moment she watched the scenery as the car drove towards Foxhaven. Foxhaven was strange since there were no above-ground buildings. There were multiple signs to indicate where stuff lead underground. It looked like one gigantic park above ground.

When they arrived, she couldn't believe that they requested her to confess her crimes straight to the council ruling Foxhaven. It was even worse when she learned that it included the stunt that landed her the role of obedient slave since she wanted to remain with her mate and her littermates. The council had no need to know these details, they would only cast her in a more unfavorable light.

"Are you serious?" Jewel said. "You all just want me gone! Not even being your obedient slave is enough."

"I promise the council will do nothing to you if you tell the truth," Vivian said. "Don't forget they're sheltering us from Bunnyburrow. They already know the gist of it, but hearing it would be confirmation. You don't have a choice."

"Nick?" She turned to him, hoping that he would object. After a few moments of silence, she said, "Fine, this is a bad idea."

They walked into the ruling council's burrow where three foxes awaited them. The council's attire made her pause in her step. The council wore casual clothing depicting their various interests. A mismatched group of seven rabbits, two foxes, and one cheetah stood before the council.

Before anyone said anything, Jewel said, "For the record, I will not say anything until I have assurances of immunity."

"Granted," Councilor Raal said. "We already know about Bunnyburrow."

Jewel left nothing out of her tale. She even salivated at the parts where she recounted the ways she tortured foxes. No one was uncomfortable with her display much to her dismay. Not a moment of fear, not even during the more graphic parts of her tale where she skinned someone alive and forced him to beg for mercy.

"And now you know it all. Thanks to our deal earlier, nothing will happen to me either." She stuck out her tongue as if she won something.

Councilor Megan grinned. "Oh, don't worry about that, I'm sure _nothing_ will happen between you and Nick as a result. As promised, we won't do anything to you, but as for your domestic situation… I hope you enjoy the role of a slave. This was a live broadcast. All of Foxhaven knows who you are now, but don't worry only your actions within Foxhaven will matter. Please enjoy your stay."

She cursed that vixen for snatching away her feeling of victory. After her tale, they received the location of their quarters where they'll be staying at.

"Wait, there are other foxes willing to live with us?" Jewel said upon learning that they wouldn't be living alone. Not even close to it. "Aren't they afraid of what I might do?"

"Survival of the fittest. Natural selection. Please do feel free to kill anyone you wish _. I'm sure there won't be any consequences for you."_ Megan unnerved her since she boldly suggested sarcastically that she was free to kill anyone. Jewel couldn't believe how unsettling this vixen was. "I trust your family to keep you in line even if I don't trust you. If you mess up, you'll probably spend the rest of your life with restraints and a feeding tube. You're too smart for that to happen, aren't you? Foxhaven views each other as one big family."

Jewel nodded.

"Given your unusual circumstances, we've decided that you should all live here." Councilor Julie pointed to a place on the map.

"This is agreeable," Vivian said.

* * *

On the way to their new home, Nick made it adamantly clear that he wanted to speak to Jewel alone. She noted that Nick cared more about her than Jill who seemed frightened every step of the way. Once they arrived, the first thing Nick did was lead Jewel to a designated private room. There were other foxes living with them now, and outside of the designated private room, everything else was communal property.

Jewel felt anxious as they broke off from the group and walked towards the private room since Nick sounded serious. Once they arrived without incident, she feared what might happen.

He remained silent for a moment too long. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked. "I'm sorry my black fur lost its usual luster."

Nick shook his head. "Your fur is as beautiful as ever. I want you to know that you're still my mate despite everything that happened. Let's spend some …. quality time together." The last words seemed forced out of his mouth as if it took extreme effort to say.

She knew that Nick desired her body in the past. He couldn't resist her gorgeous black fur. She guessed this was an invitation for them to have some fun. However, she noticed when she approached that his fur started to bristle. It didn't help that his previous actions seemed to hold some minor reluctance.

Tears flowed from her eyes as she decided to turn away. "You're forcing yourself to do this. This is wrong. You should be happy."

"How can I? I need to satisfy you so that you won't do something that I'll regret."

"Do whatever you need to do to me so that you can be happy. My own desires should not matter at all."

"Come."

He led her out of the room to a room with shock collars and various other types of equipment. Along the way, they had to avoid the new overly curious foxes living with them. Jewel found it was sheer lunacy that they would allow kits of other foxes to live with them. It wasn't that she was going to harm them, but she had the capacity to kill and a reputation for doing so.

"Nick, please tell me this isn't what I think it is. You're getting a shock collar for yourself?" Jewel said.

"So, you can use it instead of doing something drastic. It's better this way."

"I can't be trusted with the remote."

"I can't trust you without one either."

"Oh, Nick." She hugged him. "Things would be better off if I weren't here, wouldn't it?"

"I just wish you were compassionate."

"I will do my best to make it up to you. You mean a lot to me. My siblings should be able to help." Thankful that he didn't stop her from leaving the room, she went to find her siblings. The very idea that Nick collared himself and gave her the remote disturbed her greatly. Her own shock collar was well deserved, but he shouldn't be wearing one out of fear of her actions. She hoped that her siblings could do something to alleviate her fears. What scared her most of all was that she might shock Nick when she shouldn't.

Once she was outside of the designated private area, a group of rambunctious kits ambushed her as their prey.

"I caught the dangerous bunny," a kit bragged.

"I caught her first," another kit said.

"Where are your parents?" she said with annoyance. "Don't you know how dangerous I am?"

The not-so-bright one said, "There's one of you and five of us."

"Don't you want to play with us?" a kit begged.

She could easily overwhelm the five kits on top of her but tried to restrain herself from doing so. It was absurd that the kits in Foxhaven could live anywhere they wanted. They weren't afraid of her, and they must've known her grisly deeds too.

"And I refuse?"

"Aww, it's so rare that we see something other than a fox. Please?"

"Fine, if only for a bit," she grudgingly consented.

"Yay!" they all exclaimed.

She found it reminiscent of the days in Bunnyburrow where she played with her younger siblings. They slowly walked around her while one or two rode on her back. These kits likely didn't understand what she truly did and treated her as someone that was normal. It would be easy for her to kill them, but she had no desire to do so. Though the very fact that she could and has killed in the past should bother them except it didn't. They wanted to hear stories, so she had to dig into her memories about the more innocent adventures that were suitable for her audience. Tales of torture and death weren't suited to six to nine-year-old kits after all.

"Aww, when do you get to the good stories?" a kit said. "You know the ones where you hunted foxes?"

"Are you crazy?" Jewel looked at him incredulously. "Won't your parents care? You're all too young to hear these stories."

She heard an unknown voice, "How are you liking these accommodations?"

When she turned towards the voice's direction, she saw an adult fox. "Oh good." She quickly explained her current dilemma.

"Shouldn't you be happy that kits are willing to be around you and willing to hear about your past?"

"You can't possibly approve of this."

"They know what they're getting into. Don't they?" He glanced at the kits gathered around Jewel.

"Of course," they replied.

Just like that, he walked away leaving Jewel with the kits. She couldn't believe how irresponsible this adult was. Nevertheless, she was determined not to traumatize these kits with her past.

She sighed. "I'm really uncomfortable with this."

"We want to understand you, and to brag to our friends that we've heard a true scary story. Please? We'll behave."

"Fine, just stop me if it is too much…" With that, she began the tale of one of her past experiences. It was a time where she had to perform to a script with "actors" all selected and ready. They were innocent – as far as she knew but that didn't matter. The industry wanted her to torture and kill. That's what she did in order to survive.

"How did you feel during that?"

"I taught myself to enjoy it. How else could I remain sane? It was something that I had to do. The louder they screamed, the more points I gave myself and now I still enjoy the sound of screams."

"Have you tried designing something for Halloween?"

"What am I going to do with you?" She grabbed the fox kit as she stood up from her previous position, raising him off the floor until her eyes met his.

"Give me some cake?" He smiled sheepishly. "For a brilliant idea. Mammals could have fun and you can still enjoy the sound of their screams."

She clenched her teeth and tried to resist the urge to throw the kit across the room. The others tackled her to the floor, forcing her to let that one go. That suggestion was beyond absurd that it made her blood boil.

"Hey, Jewel, it looks like you're having fun." Janna walked into the scene with five kits on top of the black doe.

Jewel was eager to get away from her current situation. "We need to talk about Nick."

"That can wait. Enjoy the rest of the day."

"You're going to leave me with them?"

"Is that a problem?" Janna said. Her tone gave Jewel pause.

"Not at all," Jewel replied. This was better than incurring Janna's wrath. It wasn't that unbearable spending time with innocent and friendly kits that accepted her despite everything they knew.


	18. Inexplicably Lost

**Chapter 18: Inexplicably Lost**

* * *

The scent of foxes was overwhelming. It took all Jill had to prevent her from running away to parts unknown. She knew it would be like this, but she was still unprepared. There were far too many foxes around her and many of them she didn't know at all. She placed one paw in front of the other, desperately hoping she could make it through the day without incident.

Vivian's tail happened to be right in front of her – taunting her to grab it. Jill resisted the urge so far but her resolve was waning. She seized the tail in front of her, using it as an anchor for her waning sanity.

"Excuse me, can you let go of my tail?"

Oh no, somehow that tail wasn't Vivian's, she also didn't recognize any of her surroundings. She sniffed the air for familiar scents, but the smell of foxes permeated the air.

"Hello?" The vixen snapped her claws.

She dropped the vixen's tail. "I'm so sorry. Please don't hurt me. I'm lost." Jill bowed after speaking at a rapid-fire pace.

"Can you repeat that?" the vixen grumbled.

Jill repeated but slowly this time.

"You bunnies are supposed to be terrifying! What a disappointment. Say, can you do me a favor?"

Jill curled up into a ball.

"I like the way you smell. Can you scent mark somethings for me?"

"Excuse me?" Jill mumbled.

"Please? I know it sounds weird, I'm not weird, am I?"

"Fine." Jill didn't want to do this but was too afraid to say no. The vixen didn't display any malice but Jill felt if she declined, the vixen would force her to do what she wanted anyway.

"Yay!" the vixen exclaimed. "Follow me!"

Reluctantly, Jill followed the vixen. She placed one paw in front of the other while desperately trying not to latch on to that fluffy tail wagging in front of her. Even though she knew it wasn't Vivian, it still gave off a calming sensation when she latched on to it before.

"Say, what's your name?" Jill asked, hoping to distract herself from her immediate surroundings.

"Clarice. I'm so happy that you agreed to this! Do you know how enticing your scent is?"

"No." She shook her head.

They encountered more foxes along the way that made Jill shiver with fright. Thankfully, beyond a few pleasantries, they paid them no mind. Jill finally gave in to her desires and latched on to Clarice's tail. Clarice didn't seem to mind and before she knew it, they arrived at their destination. The entire journey was a blur.

She saw they were in a bedroom filled with expensive blankets.

"We're here!" Clarice dived into the pile of blankets. "Can you please mark these?"

Jill moaned with pleasure as the soft fabric made contact with her fur. She instinctively marked the blanket by rubbing her chin across.

Clarice sniffed the freshly-marked blanket, relishing in its scent. "This smells wonderful. Can I hold you like a stuffed animal next?"

"What? No!" Jill said. Even though she was afraid of foxes, this request went too far. She felt that this level of intimacy should only be for her mate and not some random vixen she just met and was afraid of. "I've done what you wanted. Can you help me get home?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Would you mind staying for a while?" Clarice sniffed the air continuously.

"Why did I ever agree to this?" Jill muttered under her breath.

"I'll take you home? Can we still be friends? Maybe, you can visit sometime?"

Eager to get out of this vixen's burrow, she replied, "Fine." She tried not to sound too annoyed with the vixen for she was truly lost.

Clarice enveloped her in an unwelcome hug in her jubilation. "Thank you so much!"

They finally left for her home supposedly. There were so many twists and turns as well as the overwhelming scent of foxes. It wasn't that the foxes were dangerous towards her, but there was always the chance they could be. One mere bunny without any training was no match for a fox. The only thing she could do was hope that nothing went wrong.

After half an hour she lost track of how many tunnels they've been through and still couldn't smell any familiar scents.

"How much longer?" Jill asked.

"Almost there."

She focused on moving – hoping that it would end soon. Every step she took seemed to bring her no closer to home, but she was too afraid to ask how close they were again. Her patience dwindled as she moved through the motions. There wasn't a familiar scent despite them getting close supposedly. Was Clarice leading her astray? Despite her misgivings, she feared that if she complained, she wouldn't see her littermates or her mate again.

After what seemed like forever, Clarice said, "We've arrived, I think. Do you want me to wait out here?"

This was her new home or should be, but she feared that it might not be. "Please follow me inside," she said. At least, along the way, Clarice didn't display any hostile intentions towards her. If something went wrong, she hoped that Clarice could help her.

They were inside now but she still didn't smell anything reassuring. The scent of foxes became even stronger.

"Way to go, I see that you've already made a new friend."

Jill turned her head towards the voice. She saw some fox she didn't even know. "Friend?" she stuttered.

"We are friends, aren't we?" Clarice asked.

The last thing she wanted was to enrage the foxes near her. She tried to nod convincingly. "Where are my littermates?"

The fox gave helpful instructions on where to find every single one of them. She found Judy after walking past three doors. Of course, Clarice tagged along.

"Judy! I'm so glad I found you." Jill barged into a room where Judy was chatting with two foxes.

"Oh, we'll have to continue this conversation later. Follow me, Jill." Judy led the way out of the room. "Everything's going to be okay."

After a few steps, Judy noticed that Clarice was tagging along even as they got to their designated private space. "Who are you, and why are you following us?" Outside of a few select rooms, everything else was communal property.

"I'm her new friend. I helped her find her way home."

"I want to talk to her alone." Judy opened the door to their designated private room. Thankfully, Clarice left them alone. "Nick, why are you here and why do you have a shock collar on?"

"Jill, are you okay?" Nick said.

"No, I'm not." Jill gave a recount of what happened earlier. Somehow, she lost track of Vivian and ended up following the tail of another vixen. "I don't even know how that happened."

"Definitely one of my mother's plots. I don't believe that she can accidentally lose track of where you are."

"And don't think you're going to dodge my questions," Judy said. "What happened, Nick?"

"You're going to find out anyway." Nick sighed. He told them what happened concerning Jewel and how he didn't feel safe if she didn't have the means to shock him.

Judy used her paw to cover Nick's mouth before she started speaking, "This is what's going to happen. We're going to have Jewel live away from you. One of us will make sure she doesn't pull anything. You need time away from her. Do you realize how insane your plan sounds? I think you need therapy."

"She's not going to harm herself, is she?"

"Even though she's manipulative, I don't think she will. We also won't let her. Among the three of us, someone will be watching her every minute of the day. I'm going to find her now and tell her the arrangement. Keep an eye on Jill meanwhile." Judy left the room, leaving Jill with Nick.

"I'm not a burden, am I?" Jill asked. "We're in Foxhaven and foxes still make me uneasy."

What made things worse was that Nick was silent. He didn't say anything at all.

"I knew it… I'll just go."

"Look… let me tell you how I feel." Nick stopped her before she was able to leave the room. "I know this is hard on you and I should've been there for you. What's the use in denying that my heart thinks of Jewel even though it's unfair to everyone else? You try so hard to accommodate me, and I should do the same because I don't want to lose you. Please give me one more chance."

"This was harder than I thought it would be. I'm terrified every single moment, Nick. Maybe, I'm better off finding another place to live and hope that Bunnyburrow doesn't find me. On some level, I know that this is all in my mind, but it doesn't make it any better."

"I'm here for you, Jewel. Every step of the way. If you ever need anything, just ask."

"Of course, you are! You never cared about me, now leave me alone! Don't follow me." Jill left the room they were in. Her mate certainly didn't care about her. Why would he? He had three other rabbits that weren't afraid of foxes. She didn't know where she was going. She just wanted to be away from him.

It didn't help that she was unfamiliar with her new surroundings. The entire place was a labyrinth. After failing to find the exit for ten minutes, she summoned up the courage to ask a nearby fox for directions. "Can you tell me how to leave this place? I'm new here."

"Of course, three tunnels to the left. One tunnel upwards. Followed by two tunnels to the right and you should find a door."

"Thank you."

She followed the directions as best as she could. After she passed by two tunnels, she heard Janna shouting in a frantic tone, "Jill, can we talk, please?" Once Janna was close to her, only then did she gasp for breath. "What happened? Nick is worried and he doesn't want to upset you further. He's convinced he did something wrong and he doesn't know what."

"He doesn't even care about me. Why else would he refer to me as Jewel? It's always about her! Regardless of what she does. I'm sure he only pretends to love me to save face."

"I won't excuse what he did or apologize for it, but do you think that every moment you've spent with him is fake? Please think things through. You're stressed because you're surrounded by foxes. Come, let's get some fresh air. I'll notify our security detail to keep watch."

"Security detail?"

Jill learned that Foxhaven decided they were important mammals and assigned a couple of foxes to watch over them. It was to protect them from Bunnyburrow.

They headed outside – which was a small improvement. The air was a bit cleaner but she could still smell the scent of foxes. It certainly didn't help that multiple foxes were out enjoying the night sky. She walked beside Janna as they strolled in a park.

Janna motioned for her to sit on a nearby bench. "Do you still want to leave Foxhaven?"

She shook her head. "There's nowhere safe for me to go anyway. I just wish that Nick loved me instead of seeing me as a burden and someone that he has to look after. I'm less like a mate and more like an obligation he has to fulfill."

"What can he do to show that he loves you?"

"I don't even know. Like I can tell that I'm his least favorite, and I don't blame him since I still have this irrational fear towards foxes. Now, it's an even bigger problem since we're in Foxhaven, and not by choice, but for safety reasons. I only complicate things by staying with you all."

"Don't think like that, we would be devasted if we lost you." Janna started grooming Jill's fur.

Jill enjoyed her sister's ministrations. This allowed her to take her mind off the present where foxes surrounded her. Her sister's scent was calming.

After some time, her sister asked, "Are you ready to go back now?"

Once again, she was too afraid to object. "Yes." She nodded. The last thing she wanted was to upset her sister.

Along the way back, Janna asked, "Do you want more of Nick or less of Nick? I think he'll do whatever you want at this point. Say the word, and I'll inform him. It's understandable if you're still upset."

"There's really no choice except for whatever he truly wants. He already forces himself to care for me despite his desires, sometimes. Yes, I enjoy my time with him, but not if he's forcing himself to spend time with me. He won't love me like he does everyone else. I'm just a burden and everything about me doesn't help."

"I understand how you feel."

Jill walked beside Janna. Her heart thumped with anticipation every step, not knowing what she should expect. Nick would probably ignore her and that might be even worse than a false act of love that she didn't notice. Certainly, Nick forced himself to care for her in the past, but how often? Were the other moments genuine love or was she too stupid to notice? A storm of doubt swirled in her mind.

It seemed like Nick wanted to meet with her. She could smell him approaching. She didn't want to confirm that Nick didn't love her thus she turned tail and ran.

Janna stopped her with her paws before she could get far. "It's going to be okay."

"Let go of me." Jill struggled against Janna's grip, but it was no use since she was weaker.

Janna licked her cheek as a response.

Her sister delayed her escape attempt long enough for Nick to close the distance. He had a remorseful expression as he approached. "Please allow me to make it up to you." He got on the floor and begged.

This wasn't how she imagined things would go. What made it worse was that she didn't see any hesitation or reluctance on his part. There wasn't much she could do except give him a chance. She embraced her mate. Her scent was still on his fur with minimal traces from her siblings.

"How about we spend the rest of the day together, just the two of us?"

She was afraid that some point along the way, he'll grow bored. Bored of her and yearning for her siblings instead, but unwilling to voice his own desires. "I can't ask that of you. I'll just be disappointed in the end since you'll be forcing yourself to stay."

"Tell me what you want."

There had to be a way for her to escape an intimate moment without outright rejecting it. It wasn't that she didn't want Nick or his love, but she didn't want to force him to love her. She realized she was hungry. "How about some food?"

Janna leaned towards Nick's ear and whispered some stuff she couldn't hear. "I'll leave you two alone." She walked away.

"I'll take you to the Dancing Blueberry," Nick said.

It happened just like that – Nick was alone with her. She wanted to protest – but that would most certainly annoy him. There was no way she could entertain him long enough before boredom set in. A disaster was waiting to happen and there was no escaping it. An establishment with that name seemed ridiculous.

She followed him as he led the way. They passed by multiple tunnels that she lost her sense of direction. The presence of nearby foxes made her focus her mind on moving only, tuning everything else out. So far, she resisted the urge to latch on to Nick's tail like a lifeline.

A couple turns later, Nick said, "Here we are."

They were in front of a door marked with a … dancing blueberry. The scent in the air was different. It wasn't overwhelming with the scent of foxes. Once she opened the door – she quickly found out why. It was as if patients from an insane asylum received the opportunity to blend in with normal society and they were failing badly. The employees wore carnivorous fruit costumes, akin to something right out of a horror movie.

"Are you sure we're safe here?" Jill whispered.

"Don't tell me you're scared," Nick said. "Relax and enjoy."

Those had to be foxes in those costumes, right? She could tell they were alive by the way they moved, but they didn't talk at all. They didn't smell like foxes either. Her paw touched one of the grapes on the costume. It snarled in response but didn't say a single word.

She desperately wanted to leave, but she couldn't. Nick seemed to be enjoying this – and she supposed that she should too. If she complained now, what kind of a mate was she? This was Foxhaven, not Bunnyburrow where atrocities occurred daily.

A fox dressed in a suit came to greet them. "Sorry about that. That's a science experiment gone wrong. The grapelord is mostly harmless. He does have a tendency to attack apples. Will you be dining in the normal section or the nude one?"

"Is this place safe?" Jill asked.

"Only two employees went missing last year. I think all the customers are still alive. Oh wait, we did hear about one death."

Her fur stood on edge. "Let's get out of here." She grabbed Nick and ran for the exit.

The ground gave under her and she screamed. Pillows were there to break the fall along with a neon sign that said, "No clothes beyond this point." There was no other way out. Heedless of the sign, she opened the door and landed in a river of blood. After she sniffed the air, she realized it was tomatoes instead. Her fur became red that it looked like she was bleeding. A door loomed in front of her. On the other side, a table filled with food awaited. This wasn't how she imagined things would go – eating at a table while wearing clothes drenched in tomato juice.

"Nick?" she shouted.

"Just a minute." His fur was blue – for some reason with the scent of blueberries. It was like he took a bath in blueberry juice. "That was surprising. I didn't imagine that they made a water slide using blueberry juice. Cool." He looked at his surroundings. "We seem to be trapped in an alien hive."

"And you picked this place because?" She tried to avert her eyes from his naked form.

"They advertised it as an experienced out of this world. Plus, it's one of the few places that cater to rabbits, inadvertently though. Since we're very important mammals, this experience is also paid for us."

The only things on the table that was suitable for her to eat were berries and flowers. Flowers were intended for decoration and not for food.

"Have a bite." Nick grabbed a nearby dandelion.

"Don't the hissing egg sacks on the walls disturb you?"

"It would if we were in actual danger. Isn't this place a nice change of pace?"

"Well, it is unique."

She focused on eating and enjoying her time with Nick. There were a few varieties of flowers for her to choose from, but Nick had far more options with various dishes containing insects.

A muffled cry for help came from the wall. The problem was that it sounded realistic.

"And I'm guessing that's fake too?" Jill said.

"I'm sure they've something planned. Keep in mind that mammals who split up in horror movies usually end up dying."

"You're saying we should ignore it?"

"It's your choice."

She continued eating, and so did Nick, but the cry for help didn't cease. The cries for help did grow weaker.

"Doesn't it feel wrong to be eating while someone is crying for help?"

"You might want to make up your mind before it's too late then." Nick smirked.

Nick acted as if this was a game and not real life. It probably was even though it felt so real to her. She knew that if she didn't try to save that mammal, she would have nightmares even though she wasted a few minutes already. The continuous cries spurred her into action with Nick following behind her.

It was surprising that the wall gave way with minimal force. The wall consisted of a gel-like substance. On the other side, there was a gigantic spider floating mid-air. A vixen dangled from its jaws crying for help, as it ascended into the air.

"You don't seem concerned," she quipped.

"Got to give them props for making it so realistic." Nick grinned. "I wonder how much that machine costs."

"Do you know what's going to happen?"

"Not at all." Nick touched the walls, looking for something. "Usually there's a hidden switch or something to a secret door." A couple of minutes passed without any results except his paw getting sticky. "Well, that's disappointing." He licked his paw. "Grape, a hint of blueberry. It seems like we go back to the previous room. There's nothing else we can do here."

She wasn't sure if she should be annoyed with Nick for not acting in-character. Although, the only reason she remained calm was that this was fake. If Nick took this seriously, it was quite plausible that she would've fainted. Something pricked her back and she began to lose consciousness.

"I think someone shot me with a tranquilizer," Jill said.

"Well, that's anti-climactic. I wondered how this would all end. Would you think of this as a dream the next time you wake up?"

Before her consciousness gave out, she saw the carnivorous fruit monsters approaching.

* * *

The next time she awoke, she was sleeping with Nick. She took a quick look at her surroundings – and she was back home. Her littermates were sleeping soundly beside her. It didn't help that her fur was still sticky with tomato juice. Nick's fur was no better off, still covered with blueberry juice.

"What happened?" She poked Judy until her sibling woke up.

"You and Nick passed out while having too much fun. A well-meaning fox brought you home. Now, let me sleep."

"Please find me if I suddenly go missing." Her mind couldn't shake that something nefarious might be at work.

The entire experience was surreal and left her questioning what was actually real. She seemed safe for now with her mate by her side. Once she wasn't so tired, she needed a bath but for now, she just wanted to sleep.


End file.
